Recovery
by tivaforever13
Summary: Ziva let Tony go; she let the badge go and she stayed behind in Israel. Follow her journey from the moment Tony DiNozzo turned away and got on the plane and find out where it takes her, what she remembers, and what is important to her as a person.
1. Chapter 1: Meeting

September 24, 2013

She glues her feet to the tarmac. Everything in her is screaming at her to run; not to run away this time, but to run to him. Yet she doesn't listen this time. She stands still, her body aching to move, both afraid to let go and afraid to move, though she thinks she should listen to her instincts, because they used to be good, once. All she can think about is that kiss... his lips on hers, his hands tangled in her hair, his emotions clear to her for the first time in over eight years.

The tears start to spill over the edge of her eyes and she can't help but laughing at herself as he flashes that famous smile of his; the one he saves just for her. She laughs because it would only be this man that would make her an emotional mess; only Anthony DiNozzo could do this to Ziva David.

She has lost it. He is gone and she has stayed. She can't help but think this is the biggest mistake of her life. She stayed in Israel once and that was a huge mistake, but this was worse. Ziva needs to figure out what life is out there for her, though. She needs to clear her head so someday she can give her heart away fully, but she wonders if she already has. She remembers the first time they ever met and is seeing it as she finally makes her way back to her car and sits down in the driver's seat without turning it on.

* * *

_May 24, 2005_

_She steps out of the elevator and looks around. It is an annoying color, are her first thoughts. The walls are an odd shade of orange. The glow from the overhead skylight is terrible and distracting. The clutter of numerous desks is disorienting. But she recognizes the area she needs to be in. It was described to her by her father, but he got the information from her brother._

_There is an area with four desks all facing inward toward each other. There is a man sitting at one of these desks. He is apparently talking to himself. Has he gone crazy with the death of his coworker?_

_He is handsome, she notices; very attractive. His brown hair is combed perfectly, despite the lack of sleep in his eyes. His eyes! They are a perfect shade of green, like leaves and grass and things that she doesn't often see in her home, which is in a desert. But his eyes are sad with loss, something that Ziva is familiar with. But there is a gentle twinkle in his eyes, even when they are filled with such sadness._

_Ziva walks up to him and his eyes meet hers briefly. He jumps, caught talking to himself or his imagination, maybe, though she is unsure which at this point. He hits the phone and it buzzes. He hits it again. It stops buzzing. He is scrambling, trying to cover his tracks. His brilliant eyes find hers again and he looks like he can't gather himself in her presence, something she has seen before in men._

_"I was just... uh... having... uh...," he falters. He can't find the words for what he was doing._

_Ziva smiles a gentle and easy smile toward the poor man. Her hands are in the pockets of her cargo pants and her white tank top is showing a lot of her olive skin. His eye rake over her body, but he doesn't dare to let his eyes linger anywhere._

_"Phone sex?" she offers, knowing that was not at all what he was doing. She is quietly chuckling to herself about this as his cheeks are painted a light shade of pink and a guilty look crosses his eyes._

_"I was picturing my partner," he responds, his voice more even, more suave, more calm._

_"Naked?" she asks and his cheeks grow a darker shade of pink and he is c,early unsure what to say now. "It is alright. I do it sometimes too."_

_"Who are you, anyway?" he asks, deciding that changing the subject is the best idea right now, his instincts telling him that if he let the thoughts of her continue, then he would be barking up the wrong tree._

_Ziva pulls out her ID and shows him. "Ziva David," she says._

_"Mossad? You're Israeli," he pointed out._

_"That was a good connection you made there. Mossad and Israel. Very smart," she teases with a smile on her face, as she sits down at McGee's desk and puts her combat boots up on the desk in front of her._

_"Why are you here?" he asks._

_"I am here to see Special Agent Gibbs," she responds._

_"I'm sorry, we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Special Agent DiNozzo. I can help you," Tony says. "Gibbs will be a couple of hours."_

_"I will wait, thank you," she says quietly with a smile on her face._

* * *

September 24, 2013

Ziva wipes the tears from her eyes and manages to get her breathing under control since she needs to make it back to that farmhouse in one piece. She promised him to be safe and she needs to keep that promise. She puts the keys into the ignition and turns it, so that the car roars to life.

The memory is very fresh in her mind. It is only suiting that she met him first and said goodbye to him last. She started with flirting and casual banter and ended with a passionate kiss and revealing something of her feelings for him. He is certainly loved, but Ziva has never heard such a large understatement in her life. He is so much more than loved and there is not a specific word to describe her feelings for the man that she just let walk away so apparently easily.

Ziva puts her foot on the break and shifts the car into reverse. She slowly and carefully backs the car out of the space and puts it in drive. She doesn't know how, but she already knows that Anthony DiNozzo is something that she needs to consider carefully, and quickly. She doesn't know if she can let go of him or if she's ready for a loss of that magnitude. And that would be a large loss, because he means so much more to her than she could possibly describe in words or thoughts. He was her everything. He was her reason for living and needing to change. He was her constant when everything else was ever-changing. He was the only person she could rely on for anything, no matter what it was she needed. He was, and she didn't admit it lightly, her soulmate, something she had long ago never considered believing in. So many things had changed, but he had always remained special to her.


	2. Chapter 2: Tail

September 24, 2013

Ziva parks the car outside of the old farmhouse and sits there for a minute. It is an old building. It is slightly run down now with age, but it is still beautiful. It is painted white and it is large. The inside, she knows, is mostly hardwood and rather intricate. The outside in the back is the olive orchard where she used to wander as a child, picking and eating olives as she went. It was a wonderful place to play… well, it was more a place to train with her father, since that was what she spent her life doing, was training to become Mossad.

There are no good memories of this house, save for the few that she has recently made with Tony. She pulls the keys from the ignition and goes inside the house, trying hard not to remember Tony at all, knowing that it is impossible as tears form in her eyes once more. She changes into something more comfortable and goes into the bedroom, trying to hold back the tears that have been trying to come out since she stopped them for her drive home. Everything here smells like him and reminds her of him. She is wearing his shirt; he left his Ohio State T-shirt with her, something that she knows he is very fond of. A tear falls from her eyes and her heart is feeling more shattered than ever before.

She sits down on the bed. She is deep in her thoughts by now, ignoring her tears, and wants to shake them away, but can't bring herself to do so. She remembers now the second time that her and Tony came face to face; when he was tailing her and following her on Gibbs' orders. He did a good job, but she had caught him when it started; she had expected someone to follow her and watch her. What had she been thinking in trying to help Ari out of the country, he was a killer?

* * *

_May 24, 2005_

_"I thought you might want some coffee. It is cold out here," she says, handing a coffee to Agent DiNozzo._

_She knows he is following her and keeping tabs on her for his boss. She also knows that he is doing it only on his orders. She knows that he has other places he would rather be that don't involve work. She feels sorry for him, because she has done plenty of missions that she didn't want to do._

_Ziva hands Tony the coffee and he nods to her. She feels cautious and yet open to whatever kind of man he might be, though he seems to be a good and honest man, just like the other NCIS Agent she met today, Gibbs._

_"You still have a slice left," she mentions quietly as he goes to throw away the box of pizza._

_"You can have it," he says with a shrug._

_She picks it out and he throws the box away. Ziva has never broken the kosher tradition on her father's orders. She has never had cheese and meet together. But this is pepperoni pizza and she eats it gladly since she hasn't had dinner yet. It tastes very good and she suddenly is questioning her beliefs on why she has chosen to follow her father's orders all these years._

_"How long did you know I was tailing you?" he asked with a frown on his face._

_She smiles at him, feeling entertained. This was a question she was hoping he would ask. "Since you started. I saw your car. You did a good job, but I was trained by the best."_

_"Smug," Tony mutters._

_"It is Mossad," she insists, trying to make him feel a little better about himself. "I would have known anyway. I expected someone to follow me. Your Agent Gibbs seems to be a tough butt to crack."_

_"Nut," Tony says and chuckles. "Tough nut to crack." _

_Of course Gibbs is a tough nut to crack. There was a comfortable silence between them. Ziva wonders why, but she feels like she can open up to this man. She feels like she can tell him anything and everything will be okay. So, she opens up to him and speaks without much thought to it._

_"Losing someone is difficult," she says quietly. "I lost my sister Tali when she was sixteen in an explosion. I wanted revenge and I understand that you also want this for your partner. Were you intimate with her?"_

_"Oh no," Tony says making a face at her. "She was like a sister to me. Kate was amazing, but never someone I could be with."_

_He's sincere in his words. Ziva feels sorry for the man. She is reminded of the evidence that she saw earlier that day. She knows that it is possible that her brother took this girl away from that team and she wants badly to deny it, but she can't. She can't bring herself to deny that her brother is probably the man that brought down Special Agent Caitlyn Todd._

_"He is your prime suspect?" Ziva asks._

_"Who, your brother? Yes," Tony responds seriously. "All the evidence points to him."_

_They are quiet again. Ziva is struggling. Should she just admit that Ari is the person who did it, which is what the evidence suggests? Or, should she continue to deny it and protect her family? She takes a thoughtful bite of your pizza. She chews it carefully and Tony changes the subject._

_"Not exactly kosher," he says to her._

_She laughs. That was his intended purpose and she knows it, but she can't help but laugh about it. He has a way to make her laugh and nobody had done that before, not since she was a child. She wishes that this was simple and knows that nothing in her life ever is. If it were simple she would talk more to him and get to know him. But she can't do that. She is Mossad and he is NCIS and that forbids her from getting to know more about him at the moment. There are things, however, that she doesn't foresee, choices that she will make._

* * *

September 24, 2013

Ziva closes her eyes and drifts into an uneasy and tearful sleep. That night her mind is filled with Tony and she is restless. She wishes that he was there to keep her warm and the house she's in suddenly feels lonely and uncomfortable. It was better with him there. She could sleep then with his protective arms wrapped around her in a comforting and much-needed way. There were no nightmares to flush away while he was there and there were no memories that were haunting her.

Ziva's memory of Tony is very specific and she can remember everything about their time together. But this is an important one to her, because it was the first kind thing she ever did for a man that was on her tail; or any man ever, if she was being honest with herself. It was the first time she had broken traditions. And, it was the first time she opened up to a man in her life, even if he was only in her life for a brief period, as she had, at the time, thought this man was. What would have happened to her had she stayed in Mossad? Would her life have been better, worse, or gone? Probably gone, she reminds herself. And probably worse, she also admits to herself. NCIS did make her life better from the very first moment she set foot in that building and it all started and ended with Tony. Did it have to end?


	3. Chapter 3: Page 57

September 26, 2013

Ziva kept herself occupied through the day yesterday, so she didn't need to think about anything at all. She really wished her head was clear, but the night proved to be far worse when she didn't occupy her mind fully during the day. Her "I Will" list is already long forgotten this morning and she wishes she was back home, in DC with Tony and the others, working, but at least with Tony.

She walked out of her bedroom and paces the living room for a moment and notices another gift that Tony left with her. It is her badge, gun, and credentials from NCIS and she knows that he'll really get into trouble for leaving them there. She smiles at the action. She knows that he doesn't care how much trouble he'll get in and he just wants to remind her of all that has happened to her that is good in her life.

She is smiling and laughing now, but tears are in her eyes again, because it is sad for her to know that she doesn't have this man right now, even though she understands the action perfectly.

Ziva sits on the couch with a cup of tea only a few minutes later. She is sipping slowly at it while she thinks about her very first day as the official Mossad Liaison Officer to NCIS. This was another good day in her memory for it was the first day that she was leading a happier life, despite still being around death. It had changed, however, from causing death to solving circumstances involving death.

* * *

_September 24, 2005_

_Ziva is sitting in the desk that used to belong to the dead NCIS agent, Agent Todd and she knows it. But she is sitting there waiting for a long time, because she arrived at five in the morning, which is when Mossad starts. However, nobody arrives until seven, which to her is somewhat funny._

_While she waits she realizes that already she is getting used to the annoying orange-color the horrible skylight which distracts and the disturbing clutter of desks. Somehow this feels more like home to her than the headquarters of Mossad, where everything is neat and there are few, if any, desks to be seen throughout the building._

_Somehow, Ziva knows that she will be happier here. She knows that she can trust Gibbs and she knows that she might be able to trust Tony, too. She has not really had much dealing with the other agent or the forensic scientist at all, but she hopes that they will get along well with her. However, she knows that nothing could be as bad as what she's seen and done in her short life. She is hopeful about this and it is the first time she's made a decision for herself that hasn't been shot down immediately._

_The elevator dings and Tony comes in shaving his face with his hair a mess. "I hate Mondays," he mutters to the office which he thinks is empty and Ziva has to control herself from laughing, because this is far from the Tony that she met a while ago. He takes his jacket off and is wearing only a white tank top, which matches Ziva's and she nearly laughs again. "Fricken Fat Al's all-you-can-eat burrito shack!" he mutters to his desk and continues getting ready for the day. "More like Fat Al's bacteria shack!"_

_He then begins brushing his teeth in the office and somehow the image is endearing to Ziva. "Shouldn't have come into work today… if Gibbs sees me like this…."_

_"He would probably be as horrified as I am, Agent DiNozzo," Ziva says, trying to keep up her Mossad appearance while she is trying hard not to laugh at the man in front of her and trying to contain the butterflies in her stomach at the same time upon seeing this honest man again._

* * *

September 26, 2013

Ziva sits on the couch laughing and realizes that her tears were disappearing on her. She is remembering that she couldn't get the difference between a homo and a hobo straight and that she didn't know what a porcupine was called. That had been a difficult day, but there was certainly a favorite part to it and it was a part that would always stand out in her memory.

* * *

_September 24, 2005_

_"Do you want something to read?" Tony asks as they wait for Gibbs to get back from talking to Director Shepard._

_"What do you have?" Ziva asks, wondering if the man actually reads or if he has anything interesting to read._

_He holds up a finger and winks. He opens his drawer and pulls out a magazine that Ziva recognizes._

_"GSM," he said to her. "It's a men's magazine. Most women find it objectifies them."_

_Ziva sits up and holds up her own copy of the magazine and Tony turns his copy over to be sure he's seeing the same thing._

_"I read it on the plane," she says. "I especially like the article on page fifty-seven… in my experience, it works every time."_

_Tony is flipping through the pages to read page fifty-seven and see what's on it. He smiles, but then reads and his face grows blank._

_"I... I... I always thought that was urban legend," Tony says._

* * *

September 26, 2013

Ziva is laughing out loud now and tears are running down her face for a very different reason. The part that comes after the elevator conversation is very funny to her and also a monumental moment in the new relationship with one of her coworkers; the same coworker that she let walk away. She knows already that she shouldn't have let him go, but she has a lot to think about today to see if she is really going to be happy if she goes home.

* * *

_September 24, 2005_

_Ziva and Tony walk over toward the window. "He's a tough one to read," she comments quietly._

_"You'll find most NCIS agents are like that, it's our training," Tony says seriously, keeping as straight of a face as he can in that moment, and he does a good job of it._

_"Is that a fact?" Ziva asks._

_"Mhm," Tony mutters. "We never let other people know what we're thinking."_

_"Right now you're thinking of doing page fifty-seven with me," Ziva says with a coy smile on her face._

_Tony's face turns thoughtful and his eyes don't leave hers yet. For the moment Ziva is completely right. She brought it up and it went straight into his mind. His eyes rake over her body and hers rake right over his as well. The smiles on their faces are undeniably because of what she said a moment ago. And, for the first time, they have some form of sex, though it is only with their eyes and their imaginations, but it is significant and they both know it._

* * *

September 26, 2013

Ziva smiles and pulls out the burn phone that she kept after calling Gibbs. She has given the number to Tony in case of emergencies and she wonders if she should use it or not or if she should let it go until she thinks more. She knows that it's late there and she is uncertain of whether he'll be up or not.


	4. Chapter 4: A Shared Secret

September 26, 2013

Ziva squeezes the phone that is in her hand and drops it on the table. She has a thoughtful look on her face and her eyebrows are pulled together. Suddenly she sets down her tea on the coffee table also and gets up from the sofa. She goes into her bedroom and grabs the laptop that has been off for a while now. She plugs it into the wall in her bedroom and sits down on her bed. She opens it and turns it on.

Her heart is racing. She's unsure of what she's going to get. She opens the last message she had with Tony and sees that he's online. She reads the last message. "Count to a million," he had sent her. Tears are in her eyes again. She had been so hopeful and she had tried to count too, but she had failed with her nerves and now her nerves were there again. She starts typing.

**Hi Tony! I know I said… well, I'm not sure really what to say. I was taking a small trip down memory lane and well… I was thinking of you. –Zi**

She sends the message and then the screen tells her he has read it, instantly. She wonders if he was staring at the same words that she was staring at. Her computer tells her that she is typing and her heart is pounding in her chest. Two days! That was all it took for her to contact him.

**Me? You were remembering me? Why? Rather, what were you thinking about? –T**

She smiles while tears pour down her face.

**At the moment, page 57, if you must know.**

She is laughing again now and she knows her emotions are all sorts of confused at the moment. She is happy and sad and heartbroken and laughing all at the same time and its as disorienting as the desks and skylight used to be at NCIS.

**Page 57? Wow! That was a long time ago, and an interesting thought to remember me in ****J**

She laughs again as more tears pour down her cheeks.

**I know.**

That's all she says. It's quiet for a moment and she wonders what he is thinking. She wonders if he'll say anything else. She glances at the clock. It is noon where she is now that means its midnight there and she sighs. He's probably getting ready for bed. She looks back to her computer, her heart still racing. He's typing again and she's nervous for whatever he's going to say.

**Let's take a trip together down memory lane. You remember our undercover assignment? That was an interesting memory if ever I've had one.**

* * *

_November 9, 2005_

_Tony and Ziva have checked into the hotel room and just finished checking around the room a little, wondering how much surveillance was on them. They don't find anything and Tony shrugs to Ziva. That's when Ziva turns and kisses him, rather hard and eager, as though she's going to attack him. She knows its just pretend, but some piece of her has been dying to see what he's like and her heart races all on its own._

_Tony responds to her and kisses her back, turning her and pushing her back onto the bed. "We need to make this look as realistic as possible," he whispers to her._

_"In that case," Ziva says with a smile, "I like the top," she adds as she rolls them over._

_However as she rolls them over his tip hits the edge of her. That's when Ziva hesitates for a moment. It is unlike her to hesitate, but she's never been so close to someone she wanted and couldn't have. She doesn't breathe and her heart fails to beat for that brief moment. It is Tony that speaks first._

_"That was my knee," he mutters._

_She chuckles lightly, being pulled back into the situation. "That was definitely not your knee," she whispers to him._

_She tries to adjust herself, so that she's hovering over him instead of touching so much of him. Her knee slips on the silk of the sheets and he slips a little further into her. Ziva stops again, unable to breathe or move herself. She's unsure of what to do now. She's never been in a situation where she simply wasn't allowed to act and she's never wanted to act so much more than this moment right now._

_Tony can see the shock on her face as her muscles clench around him and he desires it too. His hands find her but and hold her up as much as she already is up. He doesn't take this lightly, because it's not a light situation. He looks at her seriously._

_"Ziva?" he says as quietly as he can and she can hear the desire coming off his voice._

_Her eyes focus a little more on him, but her thoughts are in one place. She can't seem to pull herself up and continue on with the pretending at that moment. Her breathing is ragged and she is squirming a little._

_"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do," he says to her, reminding her that she is not in Mossad at the moment._

_Her eyes slide closed for a moment and she takes a deep breath. When she opens her eyes again, they are softer, more vulnerable, but the walls are by no means gone. She wants this, but she's unsure._

_"Only if you're sure," he says._

_He's reading her too easily and she knows it. He's read her too easily from the moment they met and she is fond of it, but she would never admit it to even him, let alone anyone else._

_She pushes her body down against his hands and they slide to her hips, allowing her the control of the situation for the moment. He groans as he slides all the way inside of her. His hands tighten on her hips and they lock eyes again, as he's holding her still._

_"Are you sure?" he asks her. "You always have a choice."_

_That stuns her for a moment. The words are obviously chosen carefully and she knows he can see some sort of vulnerability in her. She knows that he is reading far deeper than she ever thought anyone would read her. And, his words only make her respect him more. She nods to him and leans down to press her lips to his._

_This time she is more gentle with the kiss, but still eager. He uses his hands to lift her hips up and then push them back down slowly, breathing unevenly and kissing her back. She moans very quietly and the sound drives him a little crazy. She pulls back to look at him._

_"I am sure," she says quietly._

_"I know," he says._

* * *

September 26, 2013

**Interesting, you say? Yes, it was interesting, but it was very telling too, Tony. That was when I knew I could definitely trust you.**

Ziva says the words before she thinks. She is opening up more than ever before by taking this trip down memory lane. She knows that she can trust him and she is concerned for what this lapse in judgment will cost, but she trusts him to take care of himself. He promised, after all and this is important to her, as much as all the memories are combined.

**It was the first time I knew that your life and mine were very different. I remember the relief in your eyes when Gibbs said it was going to be staged. I also remember the anger in your eyes before that small incident happened. And, I remember the gratitude in you eyes when you were given a choice. I'm not totally thick.**


	5. Chapter 5: What is Left Unsaid

September 26, 2013

Ziva smiles. These memories are good ones to remember, but they bring tears to her eyes for all she is giving up. But she knows she's not giving them up. She already knows where this conversation leads, but she's afraid to admit it to even herself.

**Yes, there was the entire summer that Gibbs was gone too, and all the other times too, before…**

She sends the message. It's incomplete. But he will know why, because even when he is not with her he can read her like an open book. She thinks about that summer. They were so happy. They spent almost every night together. They were really together, until Mossad broke that party up.

But, they started sneaking around again shortly after. And even through Tony's mission with Jeanne, they were still sneaking a little (well more than a little and more frequently than either was willing to admit to themselves), unable to tell Jenny or anyone what they were doing. Tony had to try like hell to avoid that one thing with Jeanne and somehow he did it. Then there was Jenny's death and that was another matter and their reassignment. That was a difficult time for Ziva and she refused the assigned "partners" that Eli gave her.

She came back and she found Tony. Then Rivkin happened and that was really upsetting. She knew that he was there to spy on her and she couldn't risk anything. That was difficult. After Tony killed Rivkin Ziva was grateful, but pushed him away and stayed in Israel. They both knew what happened next.

**Somalia**

That is all Tony typed back. Ziva sits for a moment staring at the screen and the word that's on it now. She is not shocked by it, but it is there and she looks despite whatever lingering anger she has toward that. It was another thing that Mossad did bad for her. They had already talked about that some time ago and for that she is now relieved. But, realization is starting to hit her about what is good and what is bad in her life. But she's not all the way there yet.

**That was difficult for both of us.**

Those are Tony's words. Ziva agrees, but she's unsure of what to say next. So she sends something that seems, to an outsider, off-topic.

**We never talked about Paris.**

She is shocked at herself and she knows that he will be shocked when he reads it. She sees that he is switched to a mobile device so she quickly types another message before closing her computer.

**It is late there. I will message you tonight, when you wake up. Maybe we can talk about it, finally?**

She receives a smile in response and she smiles and thinks of Paris now.

* * *

_January 26, 2010_

_They arrive at the hotel and there is a slight problem. Only one room is booked. One room with one bed. That is a problem. Ziva can hardly breathe and by the time they are in the room she is nearly hyperventilating. Tony turns to her. She knows there is panic in her eyes. She knows he sees it. She can't hide it this time. She doesn't remember how._

_His hands are on hers, holding them in his own rather tightly, but the touch is comforting and even gentle, considering his strong grip._

_"Take a deep breath," he says quietly and quickly. "Come on, Zi. Breathe."_

_That's the first time he uses his own private nickname for her. Her eyes snap closed and suddenly she can focus a little better. She breathes in deeply and out slowly._

_"That's it," he says quietly and she knows he's guessed what she's panicking about already. She knows that he's reminding himself that a lot has happened in a short time. "Just breathe. I'm not going to hurt you, Zi. It's just me."_

_His hands leave hers as she controls her breathing, but doesn't open her eyes. Suddenly his hands are behind her neck, clamping a piece of metal of a necklace there and her eyes snap open. They are wide as she sees a small Star of David there._

_"You shouldn't forget your heritage," he says to her quietly, nearly whispering, seeming to be afraid of her reaction to this. His hands are resting gently on her shoulders._

_"Thank you, Tony," Ziva says and she knows that her emotions are clear in her eyes. She leans in and lightly brushes her lips to his, her eyes closed and still breathing calmly._

_Tony allows her to control what is happening and responds gently as she kisses him for a moment. She pulls away and smiles up at him._

_"Thank you for everything," she says._

_"Always," he says instead of the normal response to a "thank you." This makes her smile widen and she rests her head on his chest, feeling safe in his arms as they wrap gently around her, not moving fast or urgently, only making sure she is comforted and not alarmed._

_She's been jumpy and she knows it. It takes control to not be jumpy here, but this is Tony and she trusts him. Her nose tells her that it's Tony and her body is conformed to his and she knows it's Tony. She couldn't possibly forget the feel of him, even through his clothes and hers. She couldn't ever forget him, no matter how hard she has tried in the past. She is more grateful now than ever for this man in her life._

* * *

September 26, 2013

Ziva smiles and goes to get the shirt she changed out of. She misses him. She knows she misses him. She has never missed anyone that much before and this is Tony. Tony, her soul mate. Tony, the only man who can make her fall apart at the seems. Tony, the only man she has ever completely trusted before in her life, though she has neither showed him or told him that. This is Tony and she is anxious for him to wake up and talk to her again.


	6. Chapter 6: Paris

_January 26, 2010_

_Ziva has had nightmares with Tony before, but never like this. She is panicking to the extreme and he is more comforting than ever. His arms are around her and she is sobbing into his chest. She takes her time in regaining control._

_"Saleem can't hurt you anymore," he says quietly. "He is dead. He can't do _that_ anymore."_

_Ziva looks up to him. She dreams in her native-tongue. She already knows that when she's sleeping and talking it comes out in Hebrew. She feels her eyes widen with realization. Tony knows what she said in her sleep. She knows what she might've said in her sleep. She was dreaming of one of the nights that Saleem tied her up and had his way with her (she can't think of the word for the fear that it will seem worse)._

_Tony's learned some Hebrew, more than enough to know what she was saying in her sleep. Her eyes are wide. His emphasis on the word "that" is what makes her realize that he knew exactly what she was dreaming about. He went out of his way to learn Hebrew… for her._

_Ziva is overwhelmed with a strong emotion that is foreign to her. It is new to her or left unrecognized; it's like attachment and dependency, but stronger. It is like when she realized she was attracted to this man, but stronger. It is like when she heard the words "Couldn't live without you, I guess," but stronger._

_Before Ziva realizes it, she is kissing him, acting on her emotions without thinking about it, without questioning it, and without any fear of what he may or may not do. He takes her in his arms and kisses her in return. Her arms go around him and tangle into his short hair, pulling him closer to her and holding on tightly. But, he breaks the kiss and looks at her, waiting to see fear and anxiety in her eyes. There is none to see and she sees that he's overwhelmed with that same emotion. She recognizes it as she sees it in someone else's eyes. It is love. She has seen it before. She's never experienced it for herself._

_"Easy," he says to her._

_"I trust you," she whispers back and presses her lips to his again._

_They lay back down and his fingers very gently and slowly explore her body, but there are parts he knows not to go to. He remains on her back and sides and ribs, but no further. She tenses when his hands move up her ribs. He pulls his hand away slowly, ghosting against her skin. She relaxes into him as he does this, her trust growing by the moment. They don't sleep the rest of the night. They kiss. Their eyes talk. Their hands explore a little, but are gentle and careful in their exploration._

* * *

September 26, 2013

Ziva's computer dings as her eyes slide closed with a soft smile on her face. She opens her eyes, wishing she wasn't pulled from this memory; this wonderful memory of Tony and his honesty and trustworthy actions toward her.

**Paris****…**

**It is the biggest change I've ever seen in you in a short space of time. It was…**

He didn't finish the message. But, Ziva knows what it was to him and to her. Ziva doesn't need words to confirm that for her, but this is a difficult conversation for them to share, considering they had agreed not to talk about it.

**… an important step, Tony. It was a time of healing and trusting. It was when I knew your words in Somalia were not a lie or some imagination that you believed. It was when I knew you were constant…**

She realizes what she's typed, but hits send anyway. A new wave of emotions overtake her and she looks at the clock… it's after midnight now, which means it's the middle of the day on Saturday for him. Ziva is overwhelmed suddenly by realization.

Tony is her constant. Tony is always there for her, no matter what the situation is; no matter the magnitude of the situation. Tony will always be her constant and she is pushing him away by staying in Israel. She might need time away from work; she glances at the badge, gun, and credentials. His life is in danger if she goes home. She is questioning herself. If she goes back he's in danger and the others. If she stays she risks losing this. Her computer dings and she can't focus on it.

Perhaps she can go back to him, but keep the others in the dark… if she does that she is only putting him danger. But she can't put him in danger. Yet, she doesn't want to lose this. She doesn't want to lose Tony. She doesn't know what to do. She reads the screen and she can nearly hear the faltering in his voice as she reads it.

**You remember what I said to you? You think I am your… constant?**

Her breath catches in her throat. She needs to think and quickly. She's admitted more to Tony than she ever thought possible. She's opened up to him more than she's ever thought possible and that was just today.

**Yes. Did you mean it? In Somalia?**

She has to ask. She knows he meant it. She had seen, even through her weakness, the honesty in his eyes. She just needs to hear it now. It's important for her thoughts now. Can she go back and risk his life? How many times has he risked his life for her? Too many to count on the field. Once with Rivkin. Once in going to Somalia. Once in coming to Berlin with her. Once in searching for her in Israel when they were all in danger. He would be too willing to do it again. She didn't want to risk his life, but she knew he was willing. He needed to understand what this meant, what her thoughts were. She needed to know.

**I was under the truth serum… yes, I meant it and it's still true.**

Her breath catches again in her throat. Tears form in her eyes, but there is a smile on her face. She has to speak to him more about this, about her thoughts.

**Tony, if I... if I come home you are in danger from Parsa. I know his name… though I never told you. He was in league with Ilan Bodnar and also Ari. It is complicated. Is your computer secured? Mine is. Can you call? Please, Tony. I think I need to see you… to talk to you… I don't know what my brain is doing to me….**

She holds her breath without realizing it. But the screen tells her that a video call is coming in. She accept the call from Tony and he is a little shocked at what he sees in her eyes and she knows it. She knows he sees the panic, the confusion, the love, and the desire for him.

"Ziva," he says. "How do you know about Parsa? I never mentioned him because I couldn't."

"I know, Tony, listen, I can explain," she says to him sounding urgent and upset, tears streaming down her face again. "It is all linked to Mossad and my family and I have only just realized what this means. I have only just realized what is good in my life and what is not. I need to explain. It's a long story. Please, listen."

"Take your time, Zi. Slow down and take your time. I'm here as long as you need, I promise," Tony responds and Ziva visibly relaxes.

"Thank you, Tony," Ziva says.


	7. Chapter 7: Connections

September 27, 2013

They are quiet for a moment while Ziva gathers her thoughts. She is staring at Tony, judging his reaction to her silence. His face is patient. His eyes are trained on hers. He is waiting for her to speak. He is allowing her the time she needs to gather her thoughts.

"You know that I killed Ari," she says to him. "You know this because you heard Gibbs mention it to me in the squad room shortly after. But we already talked about this in the elevator."

"Yes we did," Tony agrees and they are both taken back to that conversation.

* * *

_May 15, 2012_

_"We're stuck!" Ziva shouts and the elevator slips and she slides down Tony's back and into his arms, which protect her and hold her tight. She relaxes into his arms, but there is fear in her and he sees it, brushing a strand of hair out of her face._

_"We slipped," she says._

_"I had not noticed," he responds, his eyes locked on hers. "I thought the Earth moved."_

_There is silence for a moment. She pulls away from him, the fear in her eyes grows. He moves to her and looks at her. She knows that he realizes that the fear is not from this explosion, but from something out of her past._

_"What is it, Zi?" he asks, using the special nickname that she knows makes her remember that she can trust him with everything._

_"I killed Ari," she says. "It was almost seven years ago to the day."_

_"I know," Tony says. Her eyes widen in wonder as he says this and moves even closer to her. "I heard Gibbs mention something to you a long time ago. I've always known, despite what the report says."_

_"And you kept it a secret for us?" she asks. "Why?"_

_"Because you did what you had to do," Tony says. "It wasn't easy. I know that too."_

_"He was a terrorist with Hamas, but with another group as well," Ziva says. "He was going to kill Gibbs."_

_"You don't need to explain yourself. I know this," Tony says and wraps his arms around her, seeing her try to explain and she knows that he sees her internal struggles. "It's not your fault. He made his choices and you did what was best, even if it was difficult. If you had let him shoot Gibbs…."_

_"It would have made me as bad as he was," Ziva said with understanding. "Thank you, again, Tony."_

_He pressed a kiss to her forehead and continued to hold her for a while in silence._

* * *

September 27, 2013

"Well, Ari was also a member of the Brotherhood of Doubt," Ziva says. "I did not realize the connection at first. It did not mean anything to me, because it was a new group at the time. I know that Parsa is part of the Brotherhood of Doubt because Ari had mentioned the name before and I had not known where it was from but I do now."

"So, what does this have to do with what is happening now?" Tony asks.

"Everything. Saleem was also part of the Brotherhood of Doubt," Ziva says.

Tony flinches when he hears Saleem's name. It still affects them both significantly and more as they both realize that this runs far deeper than anything they thought. This was significant and Tony was beginning to realize this.

"Did Saleem take you captive to get revenge for what you did to your brother?" Tony asks quietly.

"I am not certain," Ziva says. "But, I know that he questioned me on the killing of my brother. I was unsure how he got that information and I will never know. But I know that the Brotherhood of Doubt has that conversation. Before I began hiding from everyone I received a message signed by Parsa, saying that he was going to take everything away from me, because I had taken it away from him and betrayed my family.

"Mossad is considered family, Tony. That is what we learn first," Ziva explains, her voice falling to a whisper. "I was Mossad for a long time. My father was Mossad. My brother was Mossad. My sister might have found a way to avoid Mossad, if she was left to live, but I am not certain. Killing my brother was against my family and my other family in Mossad's eyes. But, leaving Mossad was betraying my family.

"So, the Brotherhood of Doubt has been after me for a while without my realizing it. I need your team to look it up," Ziva said quietly and looked down in shame. It was her team too. She should be there investigating. "Mossad has only brought bad into my life, Tony."

"What do you mean?" he asks her.

"Well, I started training when I was young. The games became less interesting and not fun. Then the small missions started. Forever I was ordered to do things that I knew I should not do. There were things that I have briefly mentioned to you in the past," Ziva says quietly. "I was ordered to kill Ari. I did so, but not because of an order. I was not going to kill him when I thought he was innocent. But I left Mossad briefly and joined your team.

"My father made sure I was not with you. My father set me up for getting arrested. My father intervened while I was here. My father sent me to Morocco with Rivkin and ordered me to sleep with him, which I could not do. My father sent Rivkin after me. My father sent me to Somalia knowing that Saleem was part of the same organization that Ari was. Mossad has always brought me bad and here I am in Israel trusting them. I am so stupid!"

"You are not stupid," Tony says to her. "You just didn't realize. You were trained by them and to think like them. That's hard to break."

Ziva nods to him and thinks again.

"There was the Bodnar link too," Tony mentions quietly, getting her back on track with her thoughts, something she is grateful for.


	8. Chapter 8: Berlin

September 27, 2013

"Yes," Ziva says. "Yaniv told me that they were a part of the Brotherhood of Doubt and I had forgotten it. I was a little distracted in Berlin and the name did not tinkle a bell in my memory."

"Ring, Zi," Tony says with a smile. "Did not _ring_ a bell."

"Yes, that is what I meant. But it makes sense now," Ziva says to him.

"You were distracted in Berlin?" Tony asks. "By what?"

"I thought that was obvious," Ziva says feeling relief wash over her as she is reminded that there is less urgency than she is feeling. She thinks back to Berlin and what happened after their eyes were locked in that dance and they returned to the hotel.

* * *

_April 26, 2013_

_Ziva flops down on the bed with a sigh. She is distracted to say the least. She was interrupted in her thoughts and her moment of being with only Tony on that dance floor. They had never felt closer._

_She feels the bed shift. She turns to look at Tony laying next to her with his head propped up on his hand and staring at her the way he did on the dance floor. A smile crosses her lips. She also turns to her side._

_"It's not what we hoped for, but it's something," Tony says to her._

_She shakes her head, she cannot think of the current case at the moment. "Tony… on the dance floor…," she begins but cannot finish._

_"I know," he says to her and moves a little closer to her._

_She moves up a little so they are even on the bed and at each other's eye level. Her eyes flash to his lips. "You are tense," he says quietly with a smile on his face._

_She chuckles. His lips are on hers without permission and she moves closer, meeting his body in front of her. Her lips part as their tongues meet in the middle. His hand travels to her back and pull her even closer. His hands begin to explore the body he knows too well and remembers perfectly._

_His lips leave hers and trace her jaw-line before getting to her neck. She takes in a sharp breath as he kisses her there and finds her sensitive spot. She lets out a moan but tries to suppress it. She remembers what that sound does to him. He is on top of her now, without either of them realizing it. Her arms around him and exploring his body too, which is still too familiar to her after all the years._

_He lifts her dress up and she allows him to lift it off her as his lips kiss down her body. He stops just above her left breast and her breathing has stopped. He looks into her eyes. She nods and he continues with this exploration of her body. He is worshiping her in a way that she's never experienced, and she's also underneath him, allowing him to do as he pleases to her._

_His teeth play with her nipple and she moans again. "Tony," she whispers and his eyes find hers again. He can see vulnerability there and he smiles at her and kisses her cheeks and her neck. His hand is at the top edge of her panties. Her hand brushes against his and he knows it's okay. He slowly slides them down her legs, touching every inch of her legs and her breathing becomes very ragged now with a desire that she hasn't felt in a long while._

_His hand rests upon her inner thigh and her heart is pounding. His slides his hand upward and her breath catches and he stops. He sees no fear in her eyes so he slides one finger gently inside of her and flicks it a little so that she moans and her back arches of the bed. He is still fully dressed and she rids him slowly of the clothes while he works. Her hands are all over him when she is stopped in her tracks and moans out his name in pure pleasure her muscles clamping down on his fingers. When she comes down from the high his lips find hers again. She can feel the warmth of him, but he moves away._

_He kisses her cheek and covers them up. She looks at him curiously. He answers her curiosity by kissing her cheek again. "Not when there is fear in your eyes, sweet cheeks," he whispers to her and her breath catches in her throat again as she is overwhelmed by emotions again and curls into his side. She kisses his neck, where her face is pressed._

_"Thank you," she says, still not able to fully comprehend each of his actions and how much he really cares for her. She had never pictured Anthony DiNozzo as the type to be this aware and caring for another and is always taken off-guard when he is. She smiles before they fall asleep together._

* * *

September 27, 2013

Ziva glances at the clock. It's three in the morning. She should be sleeping, but she can't, not while there's so much to say. She looks at Tony again and sees the memory on his face and he is smiling at it.

"I guess you were a bit distracted," he chuckles.

"Yes," she says quietly. "But, back to Bodnar. Yaniv told me that they were part of the Brotherhood of Doubt and I only just put the pieces together. Tony they are after me to kill me. They will hunt until they either find me or you all find them. But somehow… I think it goes deeper than just that."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I protected Gibbs. I was your partner. I was suspected of being with you, which I was but we managed to avoid telling," Ziva explains. "You saved me from Somalia and Gibbs shot Saleem. McGee was there also and Abby helped. You were with me when we caught Yaniv. I killed Ilan and you all protected me. I think… I am not sure, but I think…."

"You think we're all in too deep for your disappearance to affect whether they're after us or not?" Tony asks her with the same realization that she is coming to now.

She nods, tears filling her eyes again. "I am sorry, Tony," she says.

"Don't be," he answers. "You can't choose your family or what they choose to do. You can only choose those you trust. Ziva, please, come home, so I know your safe. Please! I'm begging you now, but I promised I wouldn't. I promised I would let you make your choices. But, I would feel better if you were here. Please, come home!"


	9. Chapter 9: Home

September 27, 2013

Ziva sits staring at the computer screen in front of her as she watches the worry of Tony's face disappear and turn rapidly into desperation. She knows what she has to do and she knows that staying away is not keeping Tony safe or his team. She knows that he is in just as much danger alone as he is if she's sitting there next to him and she knows that calling him has been a huge risk for both of them. But to her it's a risk worth taking.

"Home," she whispers and he looks at her curiously as she thinks it out for herself. It is a word he has used with her before. It's a word that he used the last time he was in Israel only a few days ago and a word that has not always meant something so significant to Ziva. But it certainly means everything to her now and it is worth remembering the last time they discussed her home.

* * *

_September 20, 2013_

_"I know why you came here," Tony says quietly as he stands across the room from her, his arms are folded across his chest. Tony only found her a couple of hours ago and he was not happy with her angry reception of him after his long months of searching; she is now shutting him out again and he wants to break through her mask once again. "I know why you came here of all places."_

_"Why do you think I came here?" Ziva asks, and her voice is hostile, not having wanted to be found. However, she was obviously unsuccessful in hiding from the one person she knows would go to great lengths to find her and would probably find her eventually, if that was what his mind was set to do._

_"You are searching for your home," he says quietly to her._

_"Home?" she asks, her eyes widening a little as her expression softens up a little. "I do not even know what it means to be home or to have a home, Tony. I have never known such a feeling."_

_She knows she is lying, but she's closing him out. She is protecting him, the best she can. Everything changed when he was shot at, right after saying he would see her very soon so many months ago. She doesn't want him there anymore. He is safer without her and she will eventually be safer without anything of law-enforcement around her. She went gone off-grid for a reason and wants to remain that way, for the sake of his safety._

_"Home," he says quietly, looking at her, his eyes filled with wonder as he stares deeply into her hard expression. "Home is where the heart is. Home is where you feel loved and like you are with a family, whether it's a make-shift family or your real blood-relatives. Home is a happy place, a safe-haven, a place where you can become carefree and enjoy every little thing. Is this your home, Ziva?"_

_Her expression hardens more as she studies him and thinks deeply about his words. She has never felt any of those things in Israel ever, not even when she was very little and they both know her answer before she says it. She closes her eyes and her entire face and posture soften and a tear leaks out from under her closed eyelids. She knows where home is. She knows that her heart wants one thing and has for a long time and she is finally admitting it to herself as she continues to shut this man out of her life._

_"No," she whispers, afraid to say more, but knowing he is definitely going to ask the next question, regardless of her attempt to avoid it._

_"Then, where is your home, Ziva?"_

_"With you," she whispers so quietly that she is sure he can't hear her, but just then his computer makes a ringing sound, letting him know that he has an incoming call. He has already ignored two of them. "Tell him nothing of me."_

_She turns sharply away and leans against the doorway before turning around to listen to his conversation with Gibbs, who has been trying hard to call him for some time now._

* * *

September 27, 2013

"Home," she whispers again, tears in her eyes as she remembers that moment when she finally admitted to herself that her home was wherever Tony was and that she is definitely missing him more than she anticipated. "Yes, Tony, I would like to go home."

"And, I know I asked you this before, but you did not answer loudly enough and we were interrupted, where is home for you?" Tony asks again, his voice soft and concerned.

Her eyes grow vulnerable for a moment and he looks deeper at her. She has opened up so much to him during this conversation, but she knows this is the hardest part, because this is personal to both of them. yes, she is panicking a little internally, but her face only betrays the vulnerability she is feeling. But Ziva needs to tell him and this need is stronger than her fear of hiding the truth. She has already basically told him what he needs to hear in order for him to know this answer. Her heart leaps a little in her chest as she realizes that she is going to answer him.

"With you, Tony," she says quietly, but this time she's certain he hears her words, because he smiles softly and there are tears welling up in his eyes now too. "And yes, I want to come home. I just do not know how I can get out of here undetected."

There are tears pooling to the brink of Ziva's eyes again, as she sees that she really is defeated by some enemy that popped up from her past. Tony looks helplessly at Ziva. But she has one more thing to say and he can see that, so he gives her plenty of time to think since they both know that's the only way she won't fight whatever she needs to say.

"I want to come home, Tony," she says through her tears and touches her fingers gently to the computer screen in front of her, wishing she could touch his face and kiss him again as she did before he left her at the airport in Tel Aviv. "I want to come home to you. I want... I want to be in your arms and safe again."

And those words are more than either of them expect Ziva to say. Those words cause his tears to silently spill on his cheeks and hers to flow a little faster.

"I'll get you a plane ticket," he says quietly, fighting with his own tears as he sees her breaking down again and her walls, which she has held long and strong, are coming crumbling underneath her. "Under an alias. I will send a fake ID to you and I will bring you home to me."

"How will you do that, Tony?" Ziva asks, feeling helpless as she looks deeply into those green eyes that have saved her so many times. Despite her doubt and her fears and her words, she believes him. She believes that he will find a way to bring her home.

"I'm sure Gibbs knows someone that can help," he says through his clenched teeth. "He needs to know this anyway and he's going to wonder where I came up with this information. Ziva, I have to talk to him."

Ziva nods her head in understanding and looks at him fearfully. She doesn't know what to say to him. She is terrified of involving her family more in this than they already are, but she can't say no to his offer, because she wants to be home so badly right now and she has never felt so homesick in her entire life before.

"I promise, you'll be home soon," he whispers as reassurance. "I'll call Gibbs now. Do you want me to let you rest?"

Ziva nods again. "I will call you when I wake up," Ziva says quietly.

"Message me first, Zi," he says softly, pain in his eyes as he speaks, "to make sure I'm awake and available. Gibbs might want me to come in after he hears what I have for him. I will be in touch soon, I promise."

She nods again as another tear falls from her wet eyes and streaks down her cheek. They bid each other goodnight and the call ends finally. She turns and slides onto the bed, putting on Tony's shirt again and holding herself as she desires more and more to be by his side and with him once more, even if Gibbs does need to be involved.


	10. Chapter 10: Personally Involved

September 28, 2013

Ziva is pacing. She has been for several hours. It is two in the afternoon. She turns and continues pacing. She is tense, more tense than she has ever felt in her whole life; even more tense than the first "adult" mission she was forced into for Mossad. She had refused many, but by the time she was sixteen, she had long passed warnings and a few punishments and she could no longer refuse.

Ziva had messaged Tony first thing when she had woken up. He had sent back a short reply and she had waited since. **Talking to Gibbs. Basement. Will call when I'm home again.** She has been waiting now for six agonizing hours, and she is tense and beginning to worry.

How much has Tony needed to say to Gibbs that Gibbs doesn't already know or guess? What could Gibbs need to talk to Tony so long about? Gibbs doesn't like talking much and dislikes details more than he dislikes talking. What is holding them up? Has Gibbs asked Tony to go into work?

Ziva turns and continues her pacing. Her hands squeeze her sides tightly and her breath is coming up short. Ever since Somalia she has had trouble controlling the panic that has always settled inside of her during times of uncertainty. She stops pacing and closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and feeling her body tremble and shudder as she allows her overwhelming worry to come out in the form of tears.

Ziva quickly wipes her eyes and takes another deep breath, thankful for that first time she allowed Tony to comfort her panicking back in Paris. It has taught her a different method of control and also how to let go in the process. As she regains control and confidence, her phone is vibrating on her table. Once. Twice. That's it. It's a text message. She goes to it and looks at it carefully.

**Sorry it took so long. Was at the office. Be home in five to call you properly.**

Ziva lets out a breath and sighs with relief. She was worrying over nothing. Nothing is wrong. Comfort washes over Ziva and she picks up her tea, and goes toward her bed, setting her tea on the bed-side table. Only a minute later an icon pops up with an incoming call from Tony. She clicks it and sighs with relief again.

"You were worrying," Tony says seriously. "I'm sorry. I should have told you I was going in. I didn't mean to worry you."

"It is not your fault Tony," Ziva responds quietly. "I had no reason to worry."

"But don't you?" Tony asks seriously, his eyes widened a little in his sincerity and knowledge of his former partner.

Ziva is taken off-guard by the change in the conversation, but she doesn't hesitate in giving Tony an honest answer. Now that she has opened up to him, she doesn't remember how she shut him out for so long and doesn't think it's possibly anymore.

"Yes, Tony. I do have a reason to worry. I have someone very important to worry about," she answers without any hesitation, thought, or guard on the emotions on her face.

Now Tony is taken off his guard. It is obvious on his face. He looks shocked, like he did not expect such an open and honest answer so easily and so quickly. Ziva smiles and Tony returns the smile, but not returning with any comment or remark. So, Ziva speaks again, keeping the opening trend going.

"I have always worried about you when we are apart, and it has only grown with the years and emotions that have grown," she says. "The trust I have for you is something I have never experienced before you, and what I feel for you... it is..."

Now she is hesitant, but only because she is uncertain of how to describe her love for him. This is something, after all, where she lacks experience and feels especially vulnerable.

"Unrivaled?" Tony offers for her and she nods eagerly, glad that even from a distance he understands what her eyes are saying when her brain doesn't know how to form the words. "Someone I know you can trust should be there in the next couple of days with something for you. I know nothing else other than that. Gibbs is keeping me in the dark as much as he can. He said it's better that information and knowledge is scattered and fewer people know fewer details. He has given McGee and Abby the links you gave us and they are checking them now. They were told that it was an anonymous source. Ducky is working a new profile with the new information."

"Thank you," Ziva tells him, her eyes and heart filling with gratitude and love. "How much did you have to tell Gibbs?"

"No more than he knew from you. That I was there when he called and I tried to convince you to come home. I told him none of us were safe and you needed a way to come back home safely," Tony informs her, his voice quiet. "I don't know how much he has guessed aside from that and he hasn't made any indication about it, other than my lack of involvement in this case."

"Then he knows more than he is letting on," Ziva says, wondering how much it could be. Ziva knows his rules and one of them is to never get personally involved in a case, and Tony would surely do that and everyone knows this. She remembers what he said after they came home from the hospital after the car crash.

* * *

_April 30, 2013_

_"Why do you insist on still getting involved with this, Tony? I am fine!" Ziva snaps since he is still insisting on aiding her with or without her consent. "Gibbs always says do not get personally involved, and you obviously are!"_

_"When it comes to you, I will _always _take it personally," he says with a dark look on his face, his voice filled with frustration and anger in his eyes. "I _always _have, and I _always _will. That's the way it will be, whether you like it or not. I wasn't exactly given a choice about it, it just happened that way!"_

_"And you have, perhaps, forgotten how to control yourself?" Ziva replies, her tone like acid burning through his heart and angering him further as she forcibly pushes him away and fights the emotions that could have gotten them killed._

_"I lost that ability when you were taken captive by that monster of a terrorist in the Sahara Desert," Tony mutters with too much honesty sprinkled across his features, speaking his mind again and spilling more of his heart into the open._

_She is taken aback by what she hears. Yes, they discussed _her _time in Somalia. But never did she consider what that time had done to Tony, though she had heard it from Abby, McGee, and Ducky. She never processed what it meant and now it hits her like a ton of bricks. The wind is knocked out of her and her heart sinks as she realizes what it would be like, considering she was pushing him away to keep him safe from harm. She is being selfish by protecting him, because she never wants to find out what it's like to live without him, and realizes that he already knows what it's like to live while thinking she is gone._

_Ziva can't respond with words. She doesn't know how, or even what might be said. She resorts to old methods and allows her eyes and body-language to talk for her. She steps to him and hugs him, holding him tight with her realization that he simply doesn't want to lose her. A tear escapes her eye and is caught by his shirt and she knows he knows it's there; his arms tighten around her._


	11. Chapter 11: On the Same Page

September 28, 2013

"You should probably get some sleep, Tony. It is late there," Ziva says quietly, her eyes cast slightly downward, not really wanting to end the conversation, but knowing that Tony is probably needed at work in the morning.

"I'm not ready yet to go to sleep. Besides I don't have to be in until noon says Gibbs. He seems to think I look too tired," Tony tells Ziva honestly.

She smiles slightly. He has time that would be more wisely spent sleeping and he chooses to spend it talking to her instead. This makes her happy inside and out. Her eyes lift up and meet his. She can see how tired he is and she chuckles to herself. He is obviously making a poor choice right now and she doesn't care at all.

"Something funny?" he asks her, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"You are," Ziva says quietly, but then she turns serious again. "Does anyone know that you have left my things here?"

"Not yet," Tony admits to her. "I suppose I'll be in some trouble when Vance realizes it. But he wasn't in today at all... or I guess last night is more appropriate to say."

"I miss you, Tony," Ziva whispers, her voice shaky and uncertain as she says words she's been dying to say sincerely since she first contacted Tony.

"I miss you, Ziva," Tony whispers back, his eyes revealing just how much he is missing her. She can see it's eating him up just as much as it is tearing her apart. "Do you remember what we used to do during our reassignment when we were feeling alone?"

Ziva's lips stretch into a full smile. It's been a long time since she's thought about their reassingment, but she remembers perfectly what their agreement was. When they were missing DC (which was the way they had worded it in those days for fear of revealing too much) they would write a letter to the other and share it later. A lot was shared in those letters and it scared both of them for a while, but now Ziva knows it was an important step in their relationship as far as it has come to today.

"I would not know what to write, Tony," Ziva says, skipping a whole step in the conversation and laughing at herself. She should have asked if they would write again, or should have responded to his words that she remembered. But Ziva has now cut off a whole conversation. Tony is also smiling, she notices and this causes her smile to widen.

"You said that last time, too," Tony remarks while suppressing some laughter.

"And if I remember right, you said to just write whatever came to mind," Ziva comments. "Tony those letters meant a lot to me. We both said some things that were... well, they were..."

"Telling? Revealing? Brutally honest? What?" Tony asks her, his eyes wide with curiosity.

Ziva smiles as she remembers the short last letter she received from him.

* * *

_October 3, 2008_

_Ziva opens the last letter from Tony as she glances across the length of the couch to him, wondering which of her many letters he is currently reading. Feeling a blush on her cheeks, she returns her eyes to the page in front of her._

**_Hello again, sweet cheeks,_**

**_I wish to be off this assignment. I know that I should be focused on the investigation, but I can't help but wonder if Vance has given you this one as well. I wish you were here. We work better together than we do apart. I miss you more than I know how to say. I know we weren't going to say that, but you know how terrible I am with rules. Hell! You're just as bad as I am. But, yes, I miss you a lot. I can't take my mind off you, and it really hurts. I keep hoping that somehow you'll be allowed to come save me from this assignment. I'll keep my fingers crossed._**

**_Tony_**

_Ziva looks back at Tony as she realizes she made his wish come true without even knowing what it was at the time. She is, after all, the whole reason they went to Colombia to get him. She smiles and moves closer to him._

* * *

September 28, 2013

"Precious, Tony," Ziva finally says. "They were honest, meaningful, filled with care and love; they were precious to me and meant more than the world."

Tony smiles again, his eyes soft and sparkling, filled with the love that Ziva has long ignored there, but responds to so easily now. Tony is left not really knowing what to say and Ziva knows this, because she still is surprised by her own honesty.

"I do not think I need letters anymore to tell you what I would not have known what to say to you before," Ziva continues quietly, a small amount of nerves clear in her eyes and her heart.

"Is that so, Zi?" Tony asks, wondering what it is that she is thinking about.

She nods with a smile on her face. "No, Tony, I do not need letters. I know what I would say to you," she says quietly and pauses for a second to smile to herself, before continuing. "I miss you terribly, Tony, and you mean everything to me. I love you more than words can say and I cannot wait to be in your arms again."

As she speaks, tears fill Ziva's eyes and spill over, but she is still smiling at Tony, and all he can do is smile back, as he fights with his own overwhelming emotions.

"You are beautiful, Ziva; inside and out," Tony says quietly, his face filling with honesty. "I love you more than anything in the world, and I have waited too long to admit that. I just want you home and safe again. I want to hold you and comfort you and give you everything you've ever dreamed of. I miss you so much it hurts, but I am so glad you called the other day, despite the danger it puts everyone in. I just want you; here with me."

They are looking at each other. They are smiling and crying. Their eyes are locked and speaking volumes that there just aren't words for. They are more connected than ever before, despite the distance between them. And finally, after eight long years and four long months of knowing each other, they are more than on the same page. They are on the same page in the best part of the book and yet they know that the story is nowhere near over, it is still only just beginning.

"Gibbs is calling," Tony says. "I'll talk to you before I go to work. I'll call around eleven if that's not too late."

"It is never a bad time, Tony," Ziva answers, meaning it more sincerely than she's ever spoken before. "I will talk to you soon. Goodnight, Tony."

"Goodnight, Zi; or afternoon, I guess."


	12. Chapter 12: Visitor

September 29, 2013

Ziva doesn't exactly know what is going to happen in the near future; well, she doesn't know the details anyway. All Ziva knows is that she called Tony one day and that changed everything. She told him everything and he told Gibbs and somehow she was getting home. She doesn't know when or how, but the word of Tony is enough for her. He has never broken his word to her and she is more than certain he'll keep his word again.

They had a short conversation last night before he went to work and she was glad he decided to call her. She still can't believe she is able to open up as much as she has and she still can't believe she's allowing him to help her as much as she is.

Ziva knows she probably isn't getting a call soon. She knows that he is probably helping with the investigation. She's nervous about them being so involved but she's also nervous about the moment when Vance realizes that he hasn't returned her credentials, badge, and gun. He will get in trouble, but she's sure he'll handle it.

The time now is noon. Someone knocks on her door. Ziva freezes. She reaches for the gun on the table and instinctively clips the badge to her belt as she calmly gets up. Honestly, her heart is pounding in her chest even though she's faced similar situations hundreds of times. She peers through the peep-hole and holds her breath. Ziva only sees the shoulder of a man wearing a suit. He seems to be short and a little hunched as though with age. But, she's not sure who's out there.

Ziva turns the knob on the door and slowly opens it with the gun pointed at the person on the other side. She sees him. She takes him in. She lets out a relieved breath and lowers her weapon. For a brief moment she can only stare at him, but then she closes her eyes and steps aside to let him in.

"Shmeil," she says quietly.

"My Ziva!" Shmeil says with a soft smile on his face, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I was worried about you when nobody could find you for months. I am glad that somebody did. I do not know what is going on, but I have talked to that wonderful boss of yours and he wanted me to give you this envelope and leave immediately after. I hope you are well. I must go now. Promise you will call me when you are in safe hands."

"I promise," Ziva says, really perplexed as to how her boss managed to get Shmeil to America and back to Israel so quickly. "And, thank you for doing this. It means a lot to me."

"Look at you! So open about your feelings! I wonder what has changed," Shmeil said before turning and going back out the door again.

Ziva locks the door and puts the chain and dead bolt on. She returns to the letter-sized envelope again and can't remember a time when she was more eager or more nervous to open something that was delivered to her. She also can't remember anytime in her life when something so important was hand-delivered by someone she trusted so much.

She breaks the seal on the envelope and pulls the top back. She pulls put a folded piece of paper and unfolds it slowly. She quickly scans the contents, wondering what is there. A letter that is clearly in Gibbs handwriting. She doesn't yet know if she wants to read it or not, because he might be angry. An ID card with her picture on it, but not her name. She scans it over quickly and smiles in amusement. Sophie Ranier is the name on the card. One more thing she notices. Three plane tickets. Three?

Ziva doesn't exactly know what she expected, but it certainly wasn't three plane tickets to get from Tel Aviv to Washington DC, where she has only ever taken direct flights. She looks closer at the tickets and reads them carefully before her eyes widen a little. There is one ticket that has her fake name on it that would take her to Rome, which is coincidentally a place she has never been before. Then there is another with her fake name on it that will take her from Rome to DC the following day. There is also a ticket with another name from Rome to DC. She looks closer at the name. It is Jon Paul Ranier. She gasps and wonders if Tony knows about this.

Ziva's eyes wander to the letter that she has mostly ignored until now. It is definitely Gibbs' handwriting, and she is more than nervous about reading it. In fact she feels like she is standing under that intense gaze that he gives when he is trying to decide on what really happened. However, before she can even pick it up, her computer makes a clear ringing sound. She has an incoming video call. She glances at the clock. It's one in the afternoon.

Ziva gets up and goes to the computer, snatching the letter as she goes, knowing she has to read it. She leaves in a week and needs to know whatever Gibbs has to say. She sits down and looks at the screen. A smile crosses her lips as she sees Tony's picture pop up. She clicks it and it answers the call.

"Good morning, Tony," she says with a bright smile.

"Yes, the clock tells me it's morning. You're very bright this afternoon," Tony says, obviously aware of the time difference.

"Gibbs' messenger came by just a little while ago. Can I ask you to hang on for a moment while I read the letter Gibbs sent?" Ziva asks, now feeling more comfortable since Tony is on.

"Of course. I'll be right here," Tony tells her, smiling because he knows that his boss has figured out something quickly.

Ziva's eyes sparkle at Tony for a moment longer and the she lowers them to the paper in her hands and very slowly unfolds it and focuses on the writing on the page.


	13. Chapter 13: Letter

**September 27, 2013**

**Ziva,**

**You should have told me what was going on immediately. Stop trying to protect all of us and work as a team for once! Follow the rules! Primarily rule 1, never screw your partner over. I'll let you figure out the others you broke, as I'm not entirely sure myself. This is such a mess now! But, let's get to business.**

**You'll notice there are three plane tickets and an ID. I did the best I could with the little time I had and I think you can figure out the rest. Tony doesn't know. He will be told he's needed to travel and he won't know anything more. The hotel reservation is under his alias. I will email you the information in a couple days. Do NOT talk to Tony about your travel arrangements. Parsa is dangerous, as you obviously know, and I don't want either of you in any more danger than you're already in.**

**I don't know how much you talk to Tony but make sure it's as secure as you can get it. Mention nothing of your alias and when you see him tell him to check the inside zipper pocket of his carry on bag. If you need the three things Tony did not return with from Israel I will manage it, even though Vance has yet to realize they're missing. We'll talk when I see you face to face, and we will talk.**

**Be safe,**

**Gibbs**

* * *

September 29, 2013

Ziva raises her head, shock in her eyes and feeling as though she was just yelled at from far away and she feels guilty. She has hurt Gibbs and everyone by trying to protect them, but somehow he isn't as angry as he should be. Ziva shakes her head and returns her eyes to Tony again.

"Well that was interesting," Ziva mutters. "I do not blame him for being upset with me."

"All he said to me was to something about rules one and five," Tony says.

Ziva sees that he isn't even sure if she was talking to him or not. Ziva chuckles because she too isn't sure if she was talking to him or not. Their eyes meet. They smile. Then, Ziva has a question.

"Tony, I have never heard rule five," Ziva says quietly. "What is it?"

"You have never heard rule five? Huh," Tony says with a look of amusement on his face. Ziva begins to wonder if he is going to tell her what it is but thinks that he is going a different route with his thoughts. "I knew that rule before I worked for Gibbs. First rule he ever taught me."

"Tony," Ziva whispers and closes her eyes, trying to remain patient with him.

Some things do not change, Ziva realizes. Tony is teasing her now. Ziva smiles, glad that he has not changed so much. She hopes that the others don't change so much and also don't treat her too differently, especially considering the recent changes in her heart abd attitude.

"Yes, Zee-vah?" Tony asks, dragging out her name and making her smile. She laughs and he joins in. "Alright, rule five is: you don't waste good."

Ziva smiles, but wonders what exactly Gibbs is referring to when he throws that out there. She wasted a lot of good by walking away. She wasted a good friend in Abby. She wasted a good brother in McGee. She wasted a good grandfather in Ducky. She wasted a father who loved her in Gibbs. She wasted a good job at NCIS. But Ziva had a good suspicion that Gibbs was referring to Tony. She wasted the best partnership she had ever known, she had wasted a good team inside and outside of the office, she wasted her best friend and the love of her life. She shook her head slightly.

"Well I didn't totally waste the good, but he's absolutely right about rule one. Definitely broke that, and for that, Tony, I am sorry," Ziva tells him.

"I'd say never apologize, but I don't think it's a sign of weakness," Tony says.

"I don't care about being weak anymore, Tony," Ziva says. "I have only ever acted strong throughout my life and I have never felt weaker or more insecure than I did a few days ago when I sent you away. I have hidden my feelings, gotten angry for no reason, and treated every situation nuetrally. It is time for a change, so I will apologize whether it makes me appear weak or not. I will show emotion and share everything if that's what is going to make me happy now."

"You're the strongest person I know, Ziva," Tony says honestly and quietly.

"Did Vance notice what you left behind, beside me, yet?" Ziva asks, avoiding the conversation about travel plans and Gibbs letter before he can ask about them.

"No, not yet," Tony says and fidgets a little. "Gibbs isn't happy about it, but he agrees with me on letting Vance figure it out on his own and avoiding trouble as long as I can. why do you ask?"

"Gibbs mentioned something about it," Ziva tells him. "But, he won't let me say much on that letter. I'm sorry."

"Gibbs is trying to keep everyone in the dark. Abby and McGee don't even know you're a factor in this and Gibbs is intent on keeping it that way. I just wish I knew what he was up to."

"I know, Tony," Ziva says. "We're probably going to have to tell him everything. He will have questions."

"You said that once before after we got you out of trouble with Mossad. We lied a lot to him."

Ziva is then taken back to the week after Mossad left again and she smiles.

* * *

_September 27, 2006_

_Tony stands in front of Ziva, in her doorway. No words now are exchanged, but their eyes tell a story. Ziva has been missing him since Mossad broke them apart and has anticipated this moment. But she is weak and cannot tell him to go away because he is risking both of their lives. She sees in his eyes that he knows the danger of being here and doesn't care, as he has never cared. He moves first; she doesn't hesitate and they meet in the middle, their lips coming together and their arms tangling around each other. Ot's the only way they know how to communicate what they're feeling and, for now, it's enough._

_"Gibbs is going to have questions," Ziva says._

_"We lied to him a lot," Tony responds as his hands tangle in her hair and pull her face back to his in a desperate kiss._


	14. Chapter 14: When in Rome

October 6, 2013

Ziva is nervous. She has been waiting a whole week for today, but she can't contain the butterflies fluttering around her stomach. She got the email from Gibbs a couple days ago telling her that he will land about six hours after her, around noon.

She has it planned out. She is sitting on the plane now and remembering that plan. She will check into the hotel before returning to the airport. She will rent a car so she doesn't need a taxi and therefore will have less exposure to the public and keep herself safe, as she promised him. She is dressed differently, more like the rich French assassin that she is, again, impersonating.

Ziva spoke with Tony yesterday and he said he wouldn't be able to call her today, because Gibbs was sending him to Rome for some reason unknown. Ziva already knew this though, including where he is going and why he is going there. His words ring through her mind again.

_"All he would say is that someone is picking me up at the airport and I'll know the person when I see them," Tony says with a look of confusion burrowing deep between his brows. "I don't get why he isn't giving me more. He said I'll get details when I get there. I mean, what's in Rome anyway?"_

Ziva chuckles softly to herself. All she can think is "When in Rome…." She wonders if this is Tony's punishment for leaving her credentials, gun, and badge with her and also his reward for taking care of her. "When in Rome…," she thinks again.

Ziva is now clinging a little to the edge of her seat. She doesn't like descending, but the plane has begun its descent. She takes a deep breath as the plane continues dropping.

Not too long later, the plane touches down on the foreign tarmac and the passengers are let off the plane. Ziva lowers the expensive sunglasses down over her eyes and straightens out the French braid on her head, hoping it's not a mess. She stands up and goes for the carryon bag in the overhead compartment.

"Mi permetta di aiurtare, Signorina," a man says from behind her, seeing that she is just short enough to struggle with the bag.

"Grazie mille," Ziva responds, nodding to the man behind her as he hands her the carryon bag.

She faces the front of the plane now and moves along with the other passengers and is finally let off the plane. She is taken by a shuttle to the car rental location and gets a car with her fake license that Gibbs sent to her. She drives the short distance from the airport to the hotel. Ziva checks in at the concierge desk. Finally, she flops down on the king-sized bed in the room, chuckling to herself.

There is only one bed in the room and it makes her laugh. She picks up her cell phone and makes a call as she continues to look at the room from this flat perspective.

"Gibbs," he answers from the other end of her phone and she smiles upon hearing his voice now that she is no longer in Israel and no longer being called "Ziva David" for the time.

"I have arrived," she tells him quietly, knowing that he will want to know more than that, but not offering the information.

"Good," he says to her. "You check in yet?"

"Yes," Ziva responds shortly, looking around again and smiling. "Did Abby book the room?"

Ziva is wondering this, because it appears to be some joke of Abby's. She knows Abby would do something like this as a joke to either have them kill each other or get together, since she's done the very same thing in the past.

"Nope," Gibbs answers. "None of the others know what's going on. They're working on the information, that's it."

"Oh," Ziva says quietly and smiles at the sound of Gibbs' soft chuckling in the background of his words.

"DiNozzo should be there in a couple hours if I remember," Gibbs reminds her.

"Gibbs?" Ziva asks, feeling timid now.

"Yes?"

"Do you know what room you booked?" she asks him, sitting up on the bed and looking around at it again, wondering what he has done.

"Single," he says. "It's cheaper. There's a couch."

Ziva looks around. There is a couch. She frowns at the piece of furniture as though it is mocking her. Gibbs obviously expects them to behave while unsupervised and overseas, even though it's obvious that more is going on between them than either have let on yet. She sighs quietly, hoping to hide it from him.

"Thank you, Gibbs," she says, uncertain of what he'll take that as. Thank you for having a couch, maybe? Thank you for booking a single room would be more appropriate. She isn't sure what he'll hear in her lack of words.

"See you soon, kid," he says fondly as he hangs up his phone with a soft click in Ziva's ear.

Ziva spends her time pacing and glancing at the clock, hoping it will go faster. There are knots twisting around her stomach as the minutes tick by. Time is going too slowly and yet too quickly for her. Before she knows it, sometime before she wears a path in the carpet, she is locking the room and speeding off toward the airport in the rented Ferrari. She's early.

Ziva stands among the crowd, near the front. She is waiting. She sees his plane pull into the terminal and she is nervous. She lifts the sunglasses from her eyes to the top of her head and looks eagerly as the doors open and passengers start pouring out. She waits. Ten people go by. She sees him. He moves out of the way and his eyes scan the room before finally falling on her.

Time seems to stop. She can't breath. He's there. He's about twenty paces away. He's wearing casual clothes, a button-down polo-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. There are sunglasses resting on his head. He's smiling that famous DiNozzo-grin that lights up entire rooms. She takes a deep breath in and her feet begin moving without consent.

She feels like she's going slow. He's also moving toward her. It's like a dream where the more she walks the slower she goes. The faster she tries to go, the greater the distance seems to be, no matter how close they get. But, before she knows it, his arms are wrapped around her torso and hers are around his waste.

Without any hesitation between walking and catching her, his lips capture hers without permission or more than a slight look in his eyes. She responds to his lips and lets out a breath as her stomach flutters and her heart flies. His tongue traces along her lower lip and she opens her mouth.

Their tongues meet in the middle and his hands wind up in her hair, messing up the neat braid. Her hands too are grabbing at the back of his neck and his hair. Her eyes are squeezed shut and she inhales the scent of him surrounding her. She presses herself closer to him, her desire clear to everyone.

He breaks the kiss too soon. It wasn't long enough, but he obviously remembers that they're in the airport and it's neither the time nor the place to communicate this way anymore. Her heart is still flying as their foreheads come slowly together. She inhales deeply and smiles, finally raising her eyes to him. It's as though she's seeing him for the first time in years. It's like everything about them has changed and yet they're no different than they were so long ago, during a summer that shouldn't have existed, had they followed any sort of rules.


	15. Chapter 15: Tony's Assignment

October 6, 2013

Tony takes Ziva's hand in silence and walks them toward the baggage claim area. She walks by his side, holding on tightly and now afraid of letting go again, because she's not sure if she's dreaming or not. It's been a couple of weeks and that's it, but she's so afraid that he'll be gone if she let's go again.

They wait in silence for the bags and she pulls out a set of keys. He looks at her but doesn't say anything yet. They haven't even said hello with words. She leads him to a car and his eyes widen. She smiles at him and climbs in the drivers seat. He doesn't argue, when normally he would, because he knows her driving.

After she puts the car into drive, she reaches across and catches his hand, making someone wait as their eyes meet again. He pulls her hand up and kisses it softly with a glimmer in his eyes and she smiles. She moves her eyes back to the road and begins driving.

She is silent. She is absolutely dead silent, but she is smiling, because she has never been as happy as she is in this moment. For once, she can see brightness in her future, despite all the fear and danger that currently surround the circumstances for their meeting like this. She drives more slowly and more carefully than she's ever driven, as though the car carries something more than precious to her. She has no intentions of scaring him or making him think he made the wrong decision in letting her drive.

It doesn't take long to arrive at the hotel, only a couple of minutes. She carefully puts the car into park and turns to face Tony. She smiles again. She is nervous. She's told him more in the last two weeks that she ever intended to share with anyone, but he's smiling at her now and he looks comfortable. Their eyes are glued to each other and that's all they can see now.

"It's good to see you again," she says, finally speaking.

A half an hour from the moment their eyes locked when he got off the plain to the moment she speaks. He smiles wider. He's obviously glad she's found some words for him.

"It's good to be seen again," he answers and kisses her hand again. "I'm surprised though, but pleasantly. Gibbs didn't tell me this. So, what's the plan?"

"The plan is simple," Ziva says. "Come on, we can talk more comfortably in the room."

She leads the way confidently, though her stomach is again twisting in knots. She slides the keycard into the door and it clicks open and she lets him in. He drops his bags and stands with his back to the door, looking around the room.

"You have an ID in the inside zipper pocket of your carryon bag," Ziva says, not facing him yet, knowing what exactly will happen when she turns around now that they're in the room with only one bed and alone for quite a long time. "We fly out of here tomorrow night at nine. We go to DC from here and then, who knows?"

Her mind wanders to the man behind her and she smiles again. Her phone is vibrating and she quickly pulls it out and reads that it's Gibbs calling her. She answers the phone as Tony steps up behind her and puts his hands on her hips gently and reads over her shoulder.

"Ziva David," she answers, her tone different from when she spoke to Tony. Her tone is more business-like and less pleased.

"It's Gibbs," he says into the phone, his tone neutral. "He land okay? His phone must still be on airplane mode. I tried calling him."

"I will tell him to fix that," Ziva says to Gibbs. "He is here and we are discussing the arrangements now."

"Good," Gibbs says, now sounding stern. "I will see you shortly after you come back. And since no place is really safe, I'm going to trust him to get your back at his own turf."

"Sure," Ziva says, nodding her head and hoping not to give any hint of happiness away to her former boss (and current boss if she remembers the credentials, badge, and gun at her waste).

"That means you'll be sleeping on a couch until this is over, so I suggest you make him take the couch tonight," Gibbs tells her firmly.

"Of course," Ziva agrees, though she knows that's not going to happen, but manages to keep her tone neutral.

"Then Vance will want a word with Tony also at some point and will stop by. As long as you're both in danger then neither of you are coming in. We don't want Parsa finding out that you're back and we can't risk leaving you alone in that apartment, since someone obviously knows where it is. It'll look suspicious if we are sending agents there during the day. It's a tricky situation. I would put you up in my place, but the exchange is too risky. Just try not to kill each other."

"Of course," Ziva repeats, really hoping that he will not find anything off about her tone.

"Good luck, David," Gibbs says to her and hangs up the phone, for which she is relieved.

"What did he call for?" Tony asks, pressing himself into her back and making her breath catch in her throat.

She spins in his arms and gazes into his green eyes, which are filled with love and curiosity. "To tell me to have you sleep on the couch tonight, because apparently I am staying with you until we're both safe. He says its safer that way," Ziva answers him completely honestly, her tone softer than when she spoke to Gibbs.

"You mean he's going to not only trust us here together, but at my apartment too?" Tony asks, his eyes wide, with shock at hearing it. Ziva also thinks that their boss suspects that more is going on between the two agents and what they are feeling toward each other, especially after all the times they chased each other all over the world to ensure the other's safety.

"It appears that way. He says that a transfer is too dangerous. You also will not be going into work during that time. He says its too dangerous to leave me alone there, since they obviously know where you live," Ziva explains as he moves closer to her, his hands still on her hips. She gulps and continues before she looses all train of thought. "He wants you to sleep on the couch here since I'll have the couch at your place. Vance will be by in a few days after we get there and Gibbs also will come by. And, we are not to kill each other."

"That's all?" Tony asks, moving his hand up toward her ribs a little and smiling mischievously as her breath hitches in her throat.

"Yes," Ziva answers, her voice now a little shaky as his fingers begin tracing patterns right below her bra-line. "That's all."

She takes a shaky breath in and exhales slowly, placing her hands on his waste now. Their eyes are still locked and she knows already what he sees in her eyes. She wants him. She wants everything with him; the way she used to have it. She wants to explore him and be with him. But, she's not as dominate about it as she used to be and he sees this too and she knows it.

She steps closer to him and looks carefully into his eyes. He is still just as trustworthy, still reading her very well, still taking care not to alarm her or make something bother her. She loves it and she is more than willing to admit it. She smiles. She knows now that she can admit to him all the things that she's never wanted to before.


	16. Chapter 16: Together Again

October 6, 2013

The hand that holds Ziva's hip grips her harder as Tony smiles at her and pulls her closer. She is flush against him now and can feel every contour of his muscular body through his polo-shirt. He smiles at her gently and leans in, meeting her lips slowly. Their lips part simultaneously and their tongues meet in the middle. Her eyes slide closed and she grips his waste in anticipation.

She can feel his heart racing against her chest just as she can feel her own racing inside her own chest. His fingers have not been idle, they are still tracing nondescript patterns on her rib-cage. His other hand, however, pushes a little moving her away from the door and more into the room. His lips leave hers and he kisses her neck, gently peppering soft kisses here and there causing her breath to catch again in her throat. He gently suckles the pulse-point there and she moans softly. He grips her waste harder at the sound and grasps the bottom of her shirt.

Her hands come around to the front of his shirt and slide slowly up his stomach and chest and find the top button. She undoes the first and he pulls a little away from her, lifting up her shirt as he goes. She cooperates and finds his lips when his job is done and her blouse is tossed to the floor. He stops and glances down, chuckling at the badge and gun that are clear at her hip. He unclips them and places them on the bed-side table that is near them. Her fingers, meanwhile, have undone the buttons and he slides out of the shirt, allowing it to fall to the floor.

He looks down at her. There are some scars there that weren't there several years ago when he had last seen her in the light, but he doesn't care. His hands are on her waste and one traces upward to her rib cage. His strokes under the bra and then moves it to the side, pulling her back to him, grasping her hip and ribs. She takes a shuddering breath as their lips meet and his hand is now at the back of her bra and undoing the clasp that is there.

The undergarment hangs loose and he reaches to her shoulders and slides it slowly down her arms and it falls between them on the floor. She kicks it away. His hands ghost up her arm and to her shoulders again. One comes down the front of her while the other goes to tangle in her hair. He cups her in his hand and she moans again, making him smile against her lips.

She has one hand tangled in his short hair and the other at the base of his back, moving toward his hip-bone. It stops there for a moment, because he's caught her nipple in between his fingers and found her neck again. She tilts her head to the side and moans again. He nips a little at her neck at the sound and his other hand moves to her side and traces around to her stomach and where her jeans are secured.

With a quick movement her jeans are unbuttoned. She mimics his movement and his are also unbuttoned. He pushes her back toward the bed a little further and then pulls away from the kiss. He looks down at her body with lust in his eyes. He traces his hands from her ribs down to her hips and hooks his thumbs through her jeans. He tugs on them lightly, but looks to her eyes once more before sliding them off her butt and down her legs. She steps out of them and he pushes her onto the bed.

He stands in front of her now and she quickly slides his jeans down before moving all the way onto the bed. He climbs on after her, one hand taking her calf and bending her leg up gently. He kisses her calf and traces kisses all the way up her thigh and she gasps as he gets closer to her core. He then peppers her stomach with kisses and moves up slowly to her ribs and then her breast. She moans again when he sucks on her nipple and lightly nips is and flicks his tongue at it. Her hips buck a little and he chuckles at her. He pulls away and finds her lips again, his hand wandering from her ribs to her hip bone and hooking through her panties.

Her breath catches in her throat and she kisses him a little harder, more filled with desire. He tugs the small cloth down and she lifts her hips to aid him. He discards it, tossing it to the side with the rest of their clothes and looks upon her lustfully. One of his hands is on her inner thigh before he comes back to hover over her. It moves up just a little but stops as he reads her.

He gently traces his fingers over her folds and she moans and bites her lip. He slips a finger inside of her and she makes another muffled moan as her eyes slide closed. His lips press to her neck again. This is slow torture of the best kind and she knows it. She is hot and all her heat is at the center of her, longing for him and desiring for more.

His finger flicks the right spot and her eyes shoot open, her hips buck up a little and she clenches his back. He smiles. He knows just what he is doing to her and she sees that in his eyes. Her hands trace down his back and hook through his boxers and tug them. He kicks them to the floor and slips another finger inside her.

"Mmm," he hums quietly in her ear, leaning his whole body against her. "Some things don't change."

"Tony," she moans as his fingers are flicking and moving in and out of her center.

He slowly withdraws his fingers and hovers over her, spreading her legs to get in between them. She smiles and wriggles a little with the anticipation. She knows he's going slower than he otherwise would. They're both relishing every touch and feel.

His warm tip touches her hot center. She bends her knees up, opening herself up for him and giving him complete control. He holds one of her legs and kisses her on the lips again as he centers himself and pushes in just a little. She feels his tip slide inside of her and she moans again, raising her hips off the bed. He traces circles on her inner thigh, increasing her desire, not that it needs increasing.

He continues to slowly slide into her, his body coming ever closer to hers. The whole head is inside of her when her other leg wraps behind him and pulls herself up a little, helping him slide in, but carefully matching the slow pace. She is enjoying the feel of him being inside of her again. He pushes the rest of the way in and releases her leg. She locks it around his back with her other leg. He gives her a moment to adjust to him and looks in her eyes.

"I love you, Ziva David," he whispers in her ear.

"And I love you, Anthony DiNozzo," she whispers back.

He begins to move, rolling his hips so that he is slowly pumping in and out of her and every sensation is heightened and yet they both remember perfectly what each other likes, though Tony was seldom allowed the control of being on top. Their lips are locked soon and the pace is quickening and a heat is building between them. Years of passion and emotions are rushing through them in a way they've never fully felt before.

The tension they felt for those years is being slowly released and they are finally giving in all the way. Ziva moans as he hits the sweet spot deep in Ziva's core and a pressure is building inside Ziva. Her breathing is ragged and she can hear his coming up short also. She can feel him tensing, holding himself back a little. One hand goes to the base of her back and lifts her hips up, aiding her in meeting him.

They are working in unison, meeting each stroke equally and he plunges deep in her before retracting and repeating it. The pressure inside of her is unbearable and her eyes squeeze shut tight as another thrust comes and her walls clamp down around him so that she feels more of him. His pulse is racing through his manhood and he keeps going, sending waves of shocking pleasure over her as she moans his name, dragging it out.

She feels his release. He bursts, shooting his seed into her with waves of extended pleasure as her muscles clamp tighter and milk him, little by little. "Zee-vah," he moans and holds her tight to his bare body. When the waves of pleasure finally come to an end, he collapses on her and she falls limp under him. He rolls off her and she curls happily into his side and traces some patterns on his chest, fully aware of how happy she is and how happy she will be for a long time.


	17. Chapter 17: Flying Home

October 7, 2013

The sunlight pours into the Italian hotel and is warm on Ziva's back. It causes her to stir a little, but she freezes, realizing that someone is with her. Blinking a couple times she raises her eyes and a broad smile crosses her face as yesterday's memories wash over her. Tony is there and she is sprawled across him. One leg over his and one arm over his torso; her head resting on his chest and listening to his slow and steady heartbeat.

As though sensing her gaze, his arm tightens around her and a smile crosses his lips. He is still sleeping; she can tell by the depth and evenness of his breathing. "Ziva," he whispers through his sleep and begins to stir a little, the smile still playing on his lips. She is tracing patterns on his chest, hoping to wake him up pleasantly.

His eyes flutter open and the smile that was there vanishes and is replaced by a wide grin and a quick kiss on her cheek. "Good morning, sweet cheeks," he whispers and holds her close to him, realizing just how unclothed they are.

Ziva smiles as she thinks through yesterday again in her mind. The only time they had anything on was when the room service arrived and when they first got into the hotel room. She giggles and he runs his fingers through her hair.

"Good morning, yourself," she says and presses her lips to his. She smiles against his lips and then deepens the kiss a little.

However, they are interrupted by a phone vibrating on the bed-side table. It is Tony's phone, she knows. He looks at it and sighs. "He has good timing," he mutters sarcastically and hits a button before pressing the phone to his ear. "Yea, boss?"

Ziva is close enough to hear what Gibbs has to say. _"Abby and McGee have finally found links to the information you gave us and they're worried. It all links back to Mossad and they're in MTAC now, waiting for me. We're talking to one of your favorite people in the world. We're just a little afraid that Adam Eschel will realize that Ziva isn't there anymore, or that she gave the information to you and you gave it to us. Any suggestions?"_

"Yea, don't tell him," Tony says irritably. "I know Ziva trusts him, but I don't know if I do or not. He did help me a lot when I went to Israel to find her and I know he cares about her, but I still don't know how trustworthy Mossad is."

_"Would Ziva agree with you on this?"_ Gibbs asks suspiciously and Ziva smiles and takes the phone from Tony.

"Yes, Gibbs, Ziva agrees with this," she says into the phone, smiling, because Gibbs will know that they are close enough that she heard all of what he said a moment ago. She hands the phone back to Tony.

_"Ziva's right there with you, Tony,"_ Gibbs says quietly. _"How close exactly are you, it's like she was on the other end."_

"Boss, just don't tell him," Tony says with a sigh, avoiding the question. "Now, I'd like to get some breakfast, its only seven here and I'm hungry."

_"She's that close to you that early, huh? Well, did you enjoy the couch?"_ Gibbs asks, obviously amused.

"Yea, the couch was incredibly comfortable," Tony lies to his boss, smirking as Ziva is still tracing patterns on his chest.

_"Good, I thought it would be,"_ Gibbs answers. _"Don't miss your flight. I'll see you tomorrow sometime."_

The phone dies in Tony's hands and he shrugs. "We gotta figure this out, sweet cheeks. Are we telling him?"

"I think he should know, yes," Ziva says. "But I think we shouldn't shout it out. If he asks we'll be honest, if he finds out we'll be honest. But I don't think we should approach him with it in the middle of the case. Especially since Abby and McGee don't even know that I'm going home."

"Home," Tony says with a distracted smile and pulls her into a kiss again.

It was about two hours later when they finally get their breakfast and check out of the hotel. They spend the day wandering through the streets of Rome and shopping a little with their false credit cards with their false names on them. They arrive at the airport around seven, clinging to each other while they wait for their plane to board.

Once they are seated on the plane they share a small smile and both are anxious for it to land already, though they both know that it is a long flight from Rome to DC. The flight is silent for both of them and about halfway through it Ziva's head lands on Tony's shoulder and she sleeps with his arm wrapped around her.

Ziva wakes when she feels her ears fill with pressure, she looks at her watch, its nearly midnight according to DC time which she had changed on her watch when they left. She looks up at Tony and knows they are near landing.

"You missed most of the decent, we should be touching down soon," Tony informs her.

"Home," she says and smiles widely and he kisses her cheek.

"Yes, we're almost home," he says to her.

Five minutes later, the plane touches down and slows. It pulls into the terminal and they wait. They are let off the plane and go together to the baggage claim. Tony takes her suitcase and his, with his backpack over his shoulder and leads her out of the airport and to his car, which is really her car. She smiles at the car she left.

"What else of mine did you keep that you were supposed to find a place to store?" she asks curiously.

"Many things, babe," he says. "But there are several in storage. My apartment just wasn't big enough for all of it. However, you'll like the bed."

"You kept my bed?" she asks, surprised.

"I did," he says with a faint smile on his lips. She presses her lips to his cheek.

"I guess I should be angry about that, since you did not follow instructions, but I am happy," she says to him. "That means that you were fighting for me as you promised."

"I will always fight for you," he promises her again and she smiles.

"And I will always fight for you," she says in return and he smiles that DiNozzo grin that everyone loves, but he usually reserves only for her.

They climb into the car and he puts the keys into the ignition. He is driving more carefully than normal also and Ziva notices this. She takes his hand and they continue their drive, about fifteen minutes from the airport to his place. She is happy and so is he, but both are nervous. This is something new and they are starting it out by living together, at least until this is over, and probably long after that. But, they have other things to talk about, she is sure, since this is entirely new. She knows that living together is a huge commitment that neither were willing to make a couple weeks ago and now they are making it at a time of need.

Ziva wonders, as she does about everything in her life, if her life is not pushing her in the direction she should be going on her own. She wonders that often, but now it feels right instead of all wrong. She hopes this is not the same type of mistake she has often made in the past when she's just gone with whatever comes her way.

She shakes her head slightly to herself, looking out the window. If she had gone with how things were going, she would never have called Tony and she would not be sitting next to him now. She is happy and she is not going to question that. She normally would have hidden all this from him and she made this change, for him and for her. She has started to make her own decisions, regardless of the consequences. She's started to take action first instead of in response to something. She smiles as he parks the car.


	18. Chapter 18: Almost a Blessing

October 8, 2013

They have not slept. Neither one of them has slept a little since getting back to Tony's apartment. She has her necklace hanging around her neck again and he has his shirt back in his drawer. They have showered, watched a movie, and done a lot of kissing and other things as well. They are currently lying in each other's arms and Tony's stomach rumbles, reminding them that it's been a while since either of them have eaten anything. She giggles and he looked at her.

"You are hungry. I will make us some breakfast," Ziva whispers to him, giving him a kiss and moving reluctantly from his arms and finding some of her clothes in her bag, which remains unpacked on his floor.

She pulls on a white tank top, that accentuates her olive-colored skin. Then she pulls on some shorts, his shorts, to be specific. She walks from the bedroom and heads for the kitchen. She begins her work and soon hears Tony make his way into the bathroom. Soon, the television turns on and she smiles quietly to herself while she cooks bacon and cheese omelets, which was the furthest thing she could get from kosher in his kitchen. She is laughing about this when she feels that someone is watching her cook.

She turns and Tony smiles at her. She smiles back as she puts the last omelet onto a plate and hands him one with a fork already balanced on the plate and a mug of coffee that is freshly brewed.

"You're fast," he comments with a smile.

There is a knock on the door and they glance toward each other and move at the same time, laughing as they go. He ruffles her hair lightly as they go there, because it's already a mess and she knows it. He peers through the peep-hole and sighs. She wonders why.

The door swings open, revealing a fully-dressed-for-work Gibbs standing there. He smirks and lets himself in without a word to either. Ziva returns to her omelet quietly with Tony by her side. They sit on the couch and eat. Gibbs only watches them until their food is gone.

"Didn't meant to interrupt breakfast," he mutters as Ziva takes the plates out to wash.

"You told us you were coming," Tony reminds him as Ziva quickly works in the kitchen, not wanting to miss anything.

There is silence again and Ziva returns with a cup of black coffee for Gibbs. He nods his thanks to her. That's all she gets and she's satisfied with that.

"Good to see you safe again, Ziva," he says quietly to her, observing her carefully. She sits next to Tony on the couch. She is leaning slightly toward him and there is a soft twinkling in Gibbs' eyes as he looks at his two agents on the couch by him, hardly dressed and looking quite comfortable.

"It is good to be home again," Ziva responds, knowing that he will catch the words and understand them without mentioning them. He watches the subtle interactions between them for a moment.

"You figure out the rules you broke?" he asks her, breaking the silence again.

"One, but you told me that," Ziva says honestly. "And five."

"Didn't know if you knew that one or not," Gibbs says with a shrug.

"Tony mentioned it," Ziva says.

"So you talked to him about it," Gibbs deduces. "At least a little."

"A little," Ziva agrees, not offering more than that. "He didn't know about the arrangements you made."

"Good," Gibbs says and that's all. They're silent again for a short moment before Gibbs speaks again. "Rules, three and fifteen. You were unreachable for several weeks and you didn't work as a team."

"Ah," Ziva says. "I did not think that far into the rules."

"That's obvious," Gibbs says to her, with a hard look on his face.

Ziva is quiet. She shifts subconsciously closer to Tony. She wonders what else he has to say. He is quiet which is not something she likes, though she knows he's always quiet.

"We're cleaning up your family's mess," Gibbs says. "You should've told us, Ziva."

"I told Tony," she responds. "As soon as I realized how much of a mess my father left me in and I am sorry I didn't realize it sooner. My mess became your mess through association. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Sign of weakness," Gibbs reminds her with a nod of his head in her direction.

"So what?" Ziva says, feeling slightly angry now. "So what if it makes me weak. You apologize sometimes. I need to apologize. Perhaps I should have mentioned it the moment I heard of the Brotherhood of Doubt, but I was not a part of your team then. Ari told me. I should have realized when it came up again during the Bodnar investigation. I am sorry I did not. It was a long time between then and the last time I heard it. It took until after Tony left to realize what was going on. I had a message from Eschel saying I was in danger from a terrorist called Parsa before Tony ran and he was part of the Brotherhood of Doubt. I did not realize the connection. I am sorry. I was not on my A game, as you call it."

Gibbs looks taken aback. He did not expect her to say so much. He goes to her and kneels in front of her. He looks into her eyes and smiles. He pulls her into a hug, without saying a word. When he pulls back and looks at her again, he chuckles.

"You hair's a mess," he says, smiling and still chuckling. "There aren't blankets on the couch. Already packed up?"

"They never came out, boss," Tony says honestly.

He laughs a full laugh now. "Good luck adjusting to all this all at once," he remarks. "You hurt her and you're dead DiNozzo."

"Got it, boss," Tony replies.

"Don't call me boss outside of work, DiNozzo," Gibbs orders him.

"Sure," Tony answers.

"Ziva, if he gives you grief, you call me, I'll take care of him if you haven't. but please, try not to kill each other. This should be entertaining to watch," he says laughing again. "Either it will be the best thing or the worst, which is why there is a rule twelve."

"Gibbs?" Ziva says standing up. "If I should choose to keep this gun and badge, and stay on your team, you would not…."

"Rule five, David," Gibbs says firmly to her. "You should understand that by now. Five and fifty-one are more important. Listen to them and make your own rules."

Ziva smiles and stands up, hugging Gibbs again. He is surprised by her action. "Thank you," she whispers into his ear and his arms tighten around her, like a father's would.

"Please, no details… there's obviously history and lies and all sorts of things that make me want to slap both of your heads together," Gibbs says to her. "Spare me and just tell me if you're sure."

"I have never been more certain of anything in my life," Ziva tells him with a smile upon her face.


	19. Chapter 19: Changes

October 8, 2013

Gibbs smiles at Ziva. He sees that she's never been more sure of anything before. He sees her confidence in her move this time; which is something he's only ever seen in her instincts on the field before. He trusts her just as much as he trusts DiNozzo. He stands all the way up and moves back to the couch.

"There are things you need to know," Gibbs says quietly. "Both of you."

Ziva and Tony look at Gibbs, hoping he will continue speaking without their prompting. He is not very good at vocalizing and that is one of the qualities that makes him a good team leader in his own way.

"NCIS has point on this since your information came in. Vance has the LA team coming to help," Gibbs says.

"Is it wise to involve more people?" Ziva asks. "Do they know the dangers?"

"They do," Gibbs informs her. "They have all been given a choice on this, considering that Parsa seems to be after NCIS as a whole. You are the priority, Ziva, which is good, because I'm sure Tony wouldn't have it any other way."

"I wouldn't," Tony says to him. "Is there an issue with that from the boss?"

"No," Gibbs says with a smirk. "I'm pretty sure he understood that before I did. Although, he's not happy and doesn't know the full details of all this yet."

"You didn't tell him?" Ziva asks.

"No," Gibbs responds again. "Abby and McGee are taking point on the investigation for now. I'm leading, as always. Ducky is doing everything he can investigatively. I won't ask much of you, Ziva."

"What could I do from here anyway?" she asks.

"Not much," Gibbs chuckles. "I will stop by every so often to see that neither of you has killed the other, because I know you both well enough to know that you get on each other's nerves."

"Thanks, Dad," Tony said with an eye-roll and a sarcastic tone. "We need a babysitter?"

"For now, yes," Gibbs says. "The less that is overheard the better. If Ziva kills you that's not good; that leaves her wise open. If you kill Ziva that'll upset you and make you useless for a while."

"That's the truth," Tony said to him seriously.

"Ziva, Vance will be by in a couple of days to talk to Tony about the badge and gun that he still hasn't returned," Gibbs said seriously. "He's not happy at all, though he hasn't yet made DiNozzo aware of this. By the time he comes here I need your answer. That should be before the end of this week."

"That is not a long time," Ziva says nervously.

"Talk it over with DiNozzo… or don't. Just figure it out," Gibbs says to her firmly. "I need an answer soon and so does Vance, though he doesn't know that yet, because he thinks Ziva is still very far away and staying that far away."

"You didn't tell him?" Ziva asks him.

"No," Gibbs answers. "I said nothing. But, on that note, you're clear from me, I guess. Don't talk to Abby and McGee about it. Less people knowing where you are is better for both of you. And anything more you know about this will be found useful, Ziva. Play nice. I'll see you in a couple of days."

With that Gibbs leaves. He leaves and they hear him sigh a little to himself just before closing the door behind himself. Tony and Ziva look at each other. They are nervous about this case; more nervous because they know that this guy has already gotten the drop on them a couple of times. After all, he did shoot up Tony's apartment some months ago, or have someone else do it.

Ziva leans into Tony, scared of what this means. She doesn't think she can face this, especially since she has put him in danger again. She doesn't like to put him in danger. That was why she ran and her instincts are telling her to run again and protect him, but her heart is telling her to keep opening up to him. A tear escapes her eye and Tony holds her tighter.

"I ran to protect you," Ziva says quietly, noticing that her tears are affecting her voice. "I want to know you are safe; I like it when you are safe. I do not know that when I am sitting here and I am in danger."

Tony holds her tighter. "We will keep each other safe," he says quietly, unsure of what else he can say to her. "I know why you ran. I prefer you're here with me. I prefer you're safe in my arms."

She nods into his chest. She knows this. This is what brought her home; the safety of Tony's arms. This is the biggest struggle of her life; her instincts against her heart. She has never struggled so much before. It was always clear to her what to do and now she is following her heart the way she has never done before.

"This is difficult," Tony says to her. "I can feel your struggle. Don't worry. We'll protect you. I'll protect you."

"I know," she says quietly.

"You are not alone," he repeats his words from earlier in the year.

"I know," she says again as a response. "And I know what you mean by saying it."

He smiles. She has clarified the one thing that was unclear to one or both of them before. She smiles also and looks up at him. She chuckles and he gives her a puzzled look.

"I wonder what Vance will say," she says quietly. "I am here, with a gun and a badge and credentials that I am not really ready to give up. I do not want to give them up and did not want to give them up when I said I would let go of the badge. NCIS has been a home and a family to me that I have never had. That team and everyone on it is my family. It is the job I should have had when I was younger. It was a good thing. It filled that void of what I had been doing before. I do not want to give it up. Tony… would you want to work with me again?"

She is nervous. He can see just how nervous she is asking that question. She has said her piece of wanting to return to work, but she is also asking if he wants her to return to work. He finds this odd and she sees that in his eyes. She has never asked for his opinion on something this important before.

"Yes," he whispers. "I love working with you. I love being around you constantly. I love you."

She smiles and captures his lips with her own again. She is happy that he thinks that. She is so happy that there are tears in her eyes again. There is nothing else she wants to hear. But she was uncertain about her own choice even though she knows Tony would have her back at work, but she has never asked for his opinion on anything she does before and she was scared of what he would say.


	20. Chapter 20: Long Day

October 9, 2013

"How many times has he texted you now?" Ziva asks as she goes through the kitchen to figure out what they need for groceries.

It has already been a long day and it is only two in the afternoon. Both Tony and Ziva are exhausted.

* * *

06:00

Tony's phone is ringing. Ziva hears it and wonders how long it has been ringing. She is not sure of it is just a part if her dream, or if it is reality. She is stuck between consciousness and sleep.

She feels Tony stir and one of his arms leave her. She hears him groan, but she doesn't yet open her eyes, as she realizes that time for sleeping is done if he's groaning like that. It's either Gibbs or Vance calling.

"DiNozzo," Tony says into the phone, and there is a pause while the person on the other end speaks. "Yes, Gibbs has me staying home for a while. I guess he thinks I'm already too close to this one... Friday? That's really soon. Okay. See you Friday, Director Vance."

Tony nearly slams his phone on the bedside table and sighs. "Vance will be here Friday morning sometime," he says quietly, rolling to his side and holding her tightly as she curls into his side and wraps her arms around him.

* * *

09:00

Ziva got up two hours ago. She has been pacing back and forth for the better part of two hours. She stops again and runs her hands through her tangled hair. She closes her eyes and turns around again, knowing that Tony is watching her, not knowing what to do. She sighs again as she walks back the length of his living room.

Ziva is intercepted, by a hand on hers. She stops and slowly laces her fingers through Tony's, still not meeting his eyes. She is shaking. She is nervous. She is still having a hard time letting go of eight years of avoiding telling him anything.

Ziva turns into him, and his muscular arms wrap around her, holing her close. "I do not know how to be sure of anything anymore," she whispers, leaning her head against his chest.

"Whatever you decide is perfect. I'm with you no matter what and by your side every step of the way," Tony whispers back to her, nestling his face into her messy curls and inhaling deeply. She smiles in his chest and tightens her arms around him.

* * *

10:30

Tony is washing the dishes and Ziva is cleaning the kitchen. Breakfast has been eaten and they are now cleaning. A phone is ringing. This time it is Ziva's phone ringing. She looks at it and instantly recognizes the number. She sighs and answers the phone.

"This is Ziva," she says.

"Hi Ziva, Gibbs," Gibbs says into the phone. "Need a grocery list. I'll be by at three. You guys can't leave until we're clear of this one."

"Okay, see you soon," Ziva says and ends the call. "Got to do a grocery list."

"That should be exciting," Tony says sarcastically. "Movie first? Do we have time by Papa Gibbs' schedule?"

Ziva smiles. "Of course we have time," Ziva responds and kisses Tony happily.

* * *

14:00

Tony's words from earlier that morning are still sounding in her mind as she continues her way through his cabinets. She is alternating now between smiling and glancing at him; she is distracted from her task.

They procrastinated too long. They watched two movies and still Ziva is having a hard time focusing on her task.

Ziva began her chore five minutes ago, sometime after they both became tired of endless text messages from McGee, who knows that Tony is back from his "assignment" in Italy. The phone vibrates again against the counter that Tony is leaning on. His grimace turns into a full frown. Ziva's smile fades and she returns to her work.

"I can't keep ignoring him," Tony says to her back, still watching her going through cabinets and shelves. "He knows I'm here and he wants me to come out and he's asking why I'm not at work. Gibbs told me to tell them nothing."

"Well," Ziva says, writing down another item on her list, "you have to tell him something. Also be sure it is good, because if he is with Abby they will storm the place if you do not find a way around them with a reasonable excuse."

"Perhaps I should tell them I'm sick? Or better yet, I have jetlag," Tony wonders aloud.

"That could work," Ziva says and faces Tony again, with a small smile on her face.

"What are all the smiles about?" Tony asks curiously, smiling back at her.

"Your words earlier," she answers him. "They made me quite comfortable, as well as very happy."

Tony is smiling now. She knows she is distracted again, but her list is done, or as done as she wants it for now. She can't think. She can't think at all. All she can do is focus on Tony. Tony has plagued her mind ever since they resigned and rule twelve was not in their way. She looks at Tony, who is obviously not answering McGee, as his phone vibrates again. She can only look at him and allow her eyes to speak.

Their eyes are locked and they are doing something they have not done in a number of years. They are busy undressing each other with their eyes. However, this is a little different from ever before. This time neither one of them has their guard up and they can practically hear what the other is thinking. It only brings Ziva's mind more to Tony and less to everything else.

Tony sets the phone down and stands up straight, no longer leaning on the counter. She can't move from her spot though, because there is a ferocity in his eyes that is seductive and predatory, and she's mesmorized by it. He takes slow steps in her direction, keeping his eyes locked on hers, fixated on all that he can see with her guard down.

Ziva's breath catches in her throat as he approaches her. Her heart races and the list in her hand drops on the counter as he reaches his hands out and takes her waist in his hands, gripping them a little too tightly. Tony stops, staring into her eyes.

Ziva's arms go around Tony. One on his shoulder blade and the other on his cheek. She leans in so their noses are touching. She smiles and closes her eyes as she presses her lips to his. To be able to do this was still new to both of them. There had been many times where they had found themselves damn near to kissing each other at all kinds of times, but had needed to restrain. But now they are kissing and absolutely enjoying it.


	21. Chapter 21: Side Tracked

October 9, 2013

Tony responds to her lips, sticking his tongue out a little and tracing over her bottom lip. Her lips part, allowing him to do what he will to her. Their tongues meet in a passionate tangle, and she can feel the heat of the moment through her entire system. Her grip tightens on his shoulder and her fingers grip at his hair; her desire is clear.

Tony's hands slip from her waist to her hips, gripping them tightly, his desire also clear. He pushes her backwards and she pulls him closer; their lips still locked and tongues still exploring. Her back finds a wall and his body is soon pressed against her and she can feel every contour of his body, which she knows too well.

His movement is rough as he moves his hands up, meeting the skin of her waist. She breathes in heavily and nibbles at his lower lip. He moans a low purring sound. She presses herself into him, guiding him away from the wall as he lifts her shirt tank top over her head and drops it as she pulls him from the kitchen.

She shifts her hand off his hair and between his shoulder blades. She runs both her hands down his back as her back finds another wall. She grips desperately at the bottom of his shirt and pulls it up. Their lips part again as she removes his shirt, dropping it in the living room. Both are breathing heavily. He looks in her eyes for a second and then his lips press against her neck and nibble down to her pulse point, where he suckles the skin there. She moans, dropping her head to the side and giving him more access.

Ziva moves again, pulling him into the hallway as his hands trace up her sides and around her back, quickly unhooking her bra. His hands ghost to her shoulders and slide the straps down her arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He traces back up her arms to her shoulders. He slides one hand down to her breast and cups her, gently massaging. Ziva moans and stops in her tracks. He smiles against her neck and finds his way to her lips again and pushes her backward toward the bedroom again, teasing the skin of her back and breast as he went.

Ziva's back hit the door of the bedroom and Tony's hands slide down her sides again amd hers are resting on his hips. He grabs the top of the shorts she's wearing and pulls them off her hips. They slide to the floor. He reaches around her and unlatches the door, beginning to push her through it. She slides his boxers to the floor and he takes a breath in, taking her round butt in his hands and pulling her close to him. She can feel his hard member between her legs and she moans.

"Tony," she whispers desperately.

He chuckles and kisses her again. He can feel the desperation, the desire, and the tension in her kisses and he is feeling the same way. She pulls him the rest of the way into the room and he picks her up to speed up their progress. She wraps her legs around his waist as he sets her on the bed gently and his thumbs hook through the top of her panties and stops there.

She wiggles a little under him, wanting and needing Tony. She nibbles at his neck a little and he tightens his hold on her panties and presses himself into her.

"To-neey," she pleads and he chuckles softly, befor sliding her panties down her legs and put of their way.

Ziva breathes a sigh of relief and Tony moves over her again, kissing her lightly on the lips. Tony's lips move down her neck and across her collarbone. He decides, however, to be merciful and give into what she wants. He presses himself closer to her and looks into her eyes.

She can feel his warm tip touching the edge of her folds and she can feel the heat inside her rise and he presses into her as she sighs and moans at the feel of him being so close to her again. He slides all the way into her and takes one of her legs, holding it in place and dominating the situation. She allows this for him, and only him, because he's Tony, the man she trusts.

He slowly slides in and out of her, feeling her tension rising as he moves. She is breathing heavily as his pace picks up. He is staring into her eyes, reading the expression that is filled with love, lust, and desire and he has no choice but to give her what she wants. He moves faster and deeper and she moans, meeting his thrusts and feels the pressure in her core build to an extreme level.

"Ziva...," he breathes, holding one of her hips now and feeling her ankles lock behind his back. "Let go for me."

She does. Her eyes squint. She moans. Her walls clamp down hard on him. Her body is tensed in pure ecstasy. He moans at the feel and can't hold on any longer and releases, spilling into her.

Finally, their eyes meet again. "You are so beautiful," he whispers, kissing her gently and enjoying the slight blush on her cheeks.

He moves off of her and glances at the clock. "Shit," he mutters, causing her to also glance at the clock, which tells her it's after three in the afternoon.

They quickly dress in whatever they can find that's nearby and look at each other again. Tony takes her hand and laces their fingers together. Figuring that they'll meet an impatient-looking Gibbs in his living room. And with a last glance at each other, and a comforting squeeze of each other's hands, they turned to the door, which still stood wide open from their entering the bedroom a while ago.


	22. Chapter 22: Answers

October 9, 2013

They slowly walk through the open door and both tense when they don't immediately see Gibbs. He is never late without a call. But both Tony and Ziva know he could have called a hundred times and they wouldn't have noticed. He could have beaten on the door and they never would have noticed.

They enter the living room. Leaning against the piano by the window, is Gibbs, staring out the window, with a coffee in his hands. His posture does not suggest that he is impatient or even annoyed by any delay. He is still and he appears to be relaxed. Yet, both know that he knows they've entered the room.

"I let myself in with the spare Tony gave me a while ago," he says quietly and sips his coffee, not turning around yet. "Also made some coffee. Go get some."

Tony does as he is told, but Ziva remains with Gibbs, noticing that he has the incomplete grocery list in his hands. Gibbs turns around now. He is smiling his half smile that they see whenever he knows exactly what is going on, but usually won't make more than a small comment on.

"A little distracted from your task," he comments, holding up the list for Ziva to see. "I can't say I'm surprised. This is new." His head nods toward the kitchen where Ziva hears Tony making coffees for them. "I heard that Vance called early. I talked to him."

Ziva wants to flinch at those words, but she's honestly stunned. She's never seen the side of Gibbs that shows this much sympathy in a situation anything close to this, where any of his agents are so side-tracked that neither can complete a very simple task. She was expecting the hard stare and she is not getting it. She might have expected a head-slap also, and obviously isn't getting that either.

"What did you talk about with him?" Ziva asks, trying to keep her thoughts on wherever Gibbs might be going with this conversation.

"I told him to expect answers. I also told him to call when he was on his way here," Gibbs tells her. "Guess my instincts were right on the second part."

Tony re-enters the room and hands a coffee to Ziva, standing close to her. She kisses his cheek and whispers a thank-you in his ear. He smiles at her, before their eyes return to Gibbs, who is, again, found to be smiling at the agents in front of him.

"Like I said, not surprised at all," he says quietly and lets out a small chuckle. "You might want to finish this list though. Work together on it. I'll wait."

Ziva takes the list from him and leads Tony back to the kitchen. They finish the list in two minutes, both a little more focused now than they were earlier. They return to the living room and Tony hands the list to Gibbs.

"I have a question," Tony says, sitting on the couch.

"Figured you would," Gibbs says as Tony grabs his phone for the first time since they abandoned it earlier. Tony sighs.

"McGee has sent me several text messages, and apparently tried to call a couple times," Tony tells his boss. "He knows I'm not in Italy anymore."

Tony pauses and looks at Ziva who already knows what McGee has asked of Tony. Then Tony turns back to his boss with curiosity in his eyes. He feels Ziva's hand on his, urging him to continue on.

"He wants to know what I was sent to Italy for. He wants me also to go out tonight. He also is asking when I'm coming back to work, because he thinks that I could really be used on this case. I know he's not supposed to know what I'm up to here as far as work is concerned and what I was up to there, but how can I get him away from this?"

"I told him, Abby, and Ducky you were sent to pick up a key witness in this case and you are currently protecting that witness in a safe house," Gibbs tells him. "If he pings your phone he will know that you're not in a safe house. He might be simply trying to confirm my story. You can tell him as much as I have told him and you can tell him that you aren't at liberty to release the name of the witness. As far as Vance, he knows that you were sent to pick up a witness, but he does not know that you are protecting that witness or who it is. What I told him is that you were too close to this case and I thought it was better that you stayed away from it. He'll know the whole story when he comes by on Friday morning."

"Is that going to be enough for McGee and potentially Abby?" Ziva asks, knowing how persistent they both are when it comes to their strange family.

"It will be if the story is the same," Gibbs says to her. "They are kept busy, so they don't have much time for prying into business that isn't theirs to know. I will keep you updated on everything I tell them, in case there is more. They are both working over the weekend and that should keep their curiosity down."

"Thanks, Gibbs," Tony says with a nod.

"I'll be back in a little while with you groceries. Should I call before coming in this time? Or do you two think you've got enough self-control for a while?"

Ziva blushed a deep shade of red and Tony turned his gaze away from Gibbs, smiling to himself. Gibbs chuckles at them.

"What?" Gibbs says. "No bragging, Tony? Very unlike you."

Tony's face turns serious and he stares into Gibbs' eyes, which show amusement and curiosity.

"Ziva is not an object to brag about, Gibbs," Tony says seriously. "She isn't some stupid fling that means absolutely nothing. Ziva is everything to me and I'm not going to treat her as anything less than that. If you want to hear me brag, then here it is: I am the luckiest man in the world, because my soulmate came home and wants to be with me just as much as I want to be with her. I'm in love and content and you're not going to hear me brag about anything other than that. The rest of our relationship is private."

Ziva is smiling, because this is the mature DiNozzo that she loves deeply and isn't used to seeing so much of. Gibbs nods and smiles.

"You got the right answer DiNozzo," he comments. "I'll see you both in a little while. Take care of McGee while I'm gone."

With that, Gibbs stood up and took his empty mug to the kitchen, placing it in the sink and walking out of the apartment without another glance at Tony and Ziva. The door latched behind him and he was gone.


	23. Chapter 23: Dealing with McGee

October 9, 2013

Ziva reads through Tony's messages again and thinks about them before letting him reply. _I know you're home. Come hang out with me. What were you doing in Italy anyway? When are you coming back to work? We could really use your help on this case._ That is the basic trend of the messages. Ziva types out an answer for Tony and shows it to him.

**I'm sorry it took me so long to answer. I was busy. I went to Italy to pick up a key witness in the case and am protecting the witness at a safe house. Besides, Gibbs thinks I'm too close to this case and I should stay away from it. BS, I know, but I gotta do what the boss man orders.**

"What do you think?" Ziva asks him.

"I think you know how to type like me and your American idioms have come a lot farther than you admit," he says quietly. "Send it."

"What if I told you that I screwed up sometimes on purpose to make you smile?" Ziva asks as she hits send.

"I would say that was generous of you, and selfish," Tony says with a smile. "But it's okay. I correct them to make you smile."

They share a small smile and move a little closer. "That's also selfish, I suppose," Ziva says.

"The things we did to get each other to smile are fantastic," Tony says to her. "It's odd really. We were both living this life where we couldn't have what our hearts wanted and we were so close all the time to actually having it, but too far from it to take it."

"And we still managed to skirt around the edges of the rules," Ziva responds quietly. "That is how you ended up in Israel, though."

"Yes," Tony agrees. "That's also how I found you. Too many years of studying you."

"I really did not you to find me," Ziva informs him. "I really wanted to stay hidden. But, I am glad you found me. I am also glad we had all those years working together and falling in love behind our boss's back. I wonder if he will ever ask the questions he does not want the answers to."

"Probably," Tony says. "He likes to know things. He'll want to know what we hid from him and for how long."

"That is a long list," Ziva says. "You have another message."

**BS on the safe house, man. You're at your apartment. What is really going on? Do I have to come there and ask you myself?**

"Looks like he already pinged your phone," Ziva says quietly to Tony as she types a reply to show to him and send to McGee.

**Fine, I lied about that. Gibbs told me to say that. The witness is safe though, and that's the point. Listen, I'm not at liberty to discuss it. Just know I'm too close to the case and boss man doesn't want me out of the apartment. Ask him if you want more information. Not me.**

"Looks good," Tony says to her as the door clicks open again and Gibbs reappears with several bags of groceries.

"Having trouble with McGee?" Gibbs asks.

Tony and Ziva realize that they are standing chest to chest in his living room with his phone in her hands and they are staring into each other's eyes and obviously talking about this as she replies through Tony's phone.

"He knows I'm here," Tony says. "Already pinged the cell phone."

"He wants to come over if you're not allowed to leave," Ziva says, reading the next message.

"Tell him to call me," Gibbs says quietly. "I'll take care of it from here."

**Call the boss. Not allowed to have company right now.**

Then Gibbs' phone starts ringing a moment later and he drops the groceries. Tony and Ziva begin to put them away while listening to the conversation, as it is on speakerphone and they both know that Ziva has to be quiet.

"Hey, Gibbs. I'm worried about Tony," McGee's voice says through the phone. "He won't hang out and he said he's not allowed to come into work. We really need him on this case. Is he alright? Is the witness being protected there or something? Who is this witness anyway that he found in Italy? Why weren't we given all the information to work with?"

"Listen, McGee," Gibbs says quietly. "I am at Tony's right now, just dropping off some groceries. He's not safe and I don't want others linked to him right now. If anyone's going to risk their life seeing Tony it'll be me and not my investigators. He's too close to this case, especially since it involves him deeply and his former partner at NCIS. I don't know where she is but I hope she's still off-grid and staying that way. Don't come here. Don't contact Tony anymore. I can't give you more information right now. When I'm sure it's safe, you'll know everything."

"Fine," McGee says. "Can I at least know why someone from Italy is involved."

"The witness isn't from Italy," Gibbs contradicts. "That's just where the witness was when the person needed picking up."

"Great," McGee sighs.

"Don't let your curiosity distract you from the case McGee. Trust me, it's important," Gibbs tells him.

"I gather that if we're not getting all the information," McGee tells him. "We'll do what we can. Can we at least get a higher security clearance to investigate this one?"

"Isn't about clearance," Gibbs says. "Get back to work. I'll be back at the office in about ten minutes."

With that Gibbs hangs up the phone and looks into the kitchen, where Tony and Ziva are working seamlessly together to put away groceries. Gibbs chuckles.

"You two always were a good team, I hope it stays this way," he says quietly. "Gotta run. Should I come back when I'm done later at work?"

"We're fine," Tony says through his teeth. "We really don't need a babysitter."

"I'm still not convinced that you aren't going to kill each other," Gibbs says to him. "But sure, I'll come by tomorrow after work if you think you can handle each other."

"We can," Ziva says to him firmly. "We always have."

"Always?" he asks. "Don't want to know more, never mind. See you tomorrow."

And Gibbs is gone again, leaving Tony and Ziva in peace until Vance should arrive at the apartment tomorrow morning. They sigh in relief and continue with their task and finish it easily. They are glad to cook and eat dinner and watch a movie in comfort. But, Tony can feel Ziva tensing again.

"Don't be nervous," he says before she can say anything. "It'll be fine tomorrow. Easier than today anyway. Because you're presence will be known to the boss and you'll give him your final decision. Then we can figure out what to do from there."

"I know, Tony," Ziva says quietly. "I know. It just worries me what he'll notice tomorrow."

"Not going to hide anything from him. Whether you decide on being an agent or not, he's going to know what you are to me," Tony says quietly.


	24. Chapter 24: Vance

October 11, 2013

Ziva wakes up second for the first time since being in Tony's apartment. She enjoys this, because she's never been allowed to sleep in before and this is entirely new to her, just like sharing a bed with the person she's not supposed to date, by everything that everyone has ever told her before. She hears that his breathing is not as deep as when he's asleep and she knows he's awake.

He is admiring her. She knows this, because she can feel his fingers ghosting over her bare back as she lays across him. She thinks that's what woke her up, but there isn't any more pleasant way she can think of to wake up. She smiles a little to herself as his hands move a little more down her back, obviously detecting that she's awake.

Ziva stretches a little and then relaxes back into Tony's chest and draws patterns there, quite content to stay there. "Good morning," she whispers to him, placing a kiss on his bare chest, since that's where she can reach and she is too comfortable to move any further.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispers back, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I guess our late nights are catching up to us. It's already eight."

"That's late, for me," Ziva says quietly with a soft chuckle. "We should get up, though. Vance is supposed to be here this morning sometime."

"I know," Tony says with a sigh. He tightens his hold on Ziva and pulls her face up to his and they kiss before sitting up in the bed and untangling themselves from each other and the blankets.

Ziva reaches down and grabs her tank top and a pair of sweat pants. She puts them on and then pulls on some slippers, since her feet are a little cold in the morning air of the apartment. Tony chuckles at her and pulls on some shorts and a t-shirt.

Ziva walks into the bathroom first and begins to brush through her hair. While she's in there, she hears a knock on the door. She knows this is Vance so she comes out with the brush in her hands and stands back while Tony opens the door to reveal Vance, looking a little flustered.

"I would have been here earlier if it hadn't been for that horrible morning traffic," Vance says quietly. "The kids bus to school was late and now I'm late."

"That's alright, Director Vance, we're just getting up ourselves," Tony says quietly inviting him in.

Vance gives Tony a strange look, because he doesn't see Ziva standing there, untangling her hair and watching the situation unfold. Vance steps into the apartment and Tony closes the door behind him. Vance is dumbstruck by the sight in front of him.

Ziva lowers her hairbrush and walks over to Vance. She stands in front of him with her hair draped over one shoulder. She looks up at him and smiles gently toward him.

"I apologize for the confusion with me being gone and then not," she says quietly. "I'm sorry for that. I just thought I was putting everyone in danger. It will not happen again. I am back home for good now."

Vance doesn't know what to say and that's obvious from the look on his face. He turns to face Tony. Tony is smiling and he walks to Ziva's side and places a gentle kiss on her forehead and holds her with one arm, before looking back at Vance again.

"There's no need to apologize, sweetheart," Tony whispers before turning to face Vance.

"I need to know what's going on," Vance says quietly. "I was told that Ziva's life was in danger and then I was told she was _not_ coming home from Israel. I walk in here to find out why you haven't returned her badge and gun yet and I find her standing here, wearing a white tank top and some shorts, brushing her hair as if she is living here! What is going on?"

"She was, well, still is, in danger," Tony explains quietly. "She sent me a message. I met her in Italy. I brought her here and now I'm in charge of her safety, per Gibbs. She's the anonymous source to the information we received. She gave it to me, I gave it to Gibbs, Gibbs gave it to the team and to you. He kept some to himself."

Vance sighs. He isn't entirely sure now what to say, but he knows one question that needs answering. "And, what is your take on your missing credentials, Ziva? Are you keeping them or are you handing them in? I need to know."

"I would like to keep them," Ziva says quietly. "I never intended to give up the badge. But, when I thought I was the reason the whole team was in danger, I wanted to keep everyone safe. When I realized that I wasn't the reason, I wanted to come back and protect everyone. But, that is difficult to do when I do not have a badge and when I am in so much danger myself. I do not know how to do this."

"We'll get you out of trouble," Vance says with a softer tone to his voice, showing that he cares about her well-being. "We'll keep you safe and you can come back to work after that. But, tell me something, how does this work? I know this happens to be a one-bedroom apartment?"

"Ziva and I are together. It won't interfere with our work," Tony says to Vance with a hard and serious expression on his face, hoping that Vance will understand that he means this fully and has no intentions of sabotaging work or his relationship.

"Gibbs know about this?"

"Yes," Tony says. "Otherwise I don't think he would have threatened me and I don't think he would be babysitting us so closely. He's been by everyday since we got home from Italy. He seems to think we'll kill each other, or I'll provoke her into killing me."

Vance laughs now. This is very funny to him. It sounds typical of these two and typical of Gibbs to think of this. But as he looks at the two agents standing in front of him, he can't see anything that suggests that they aren't getting along. He sees, actually, a happy couple that is very deeply in love, and they seem to work as though they have been that way for a long time, rather than just a little while.

"I trust that you won't do any such thing, DiNozzo," Vance says, studying the two. "I also trust that you'll work better together this way. Less tension, if you catch my meaning. I already see that there's less tension and I have to say, I like it that way. Keep it that way. Keep each other happy and I'll get you two safe again as soon as I can. We'll put all available resources on this investigation."

"Thank you, Leon," Ziva responds with a pleasant smile playing on her lips. "Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I suppose, however, that there's paperwork for you to fill out?"

"And both of you. Agents dating is serious business, especially when they're on the same team," Vance says. "I'll have Gibbs bring it by later when he comes to visit you two to make sure you aren't killing each other. Have a nice day and don't kill each other."

Vance laughs again as he turns to leave, spotting the badge and gun sitting right by the door. He turns back around. "Just tell me this wasn't a last minute decision?"

"No," Ziva says. "It was decided as soon as I decided to come back home," Ziva says. "And yes, Tony left those with me. I think subconsciously he knew that I was not gone for good. It was a good thing that his gut was right."

"Yes, it certainly was. I'll hopefully see you both soon," Vance says with a smile and leaves the apartment, leaving the happy couple alone together again.


	25. Chapter 25: Unexpected and Inevitable

A/N - I want to take a moment to thank all of my followers, favorites, and reviewers! You have kept me going on this story. I want to personally thank the guest (amaia) who I cannot thank in private message. This chapter is as the title of it expresses, something unexpected. I hope you like it, since it's kind of out of the blue! Again, thank you all!

* * *

October 13, 2013

Ziva dreams a dream of a past conversation. It is something that just popped into her head when she was watching the movie "50 First Dates" with Tony last night, but it sticks in her head and something invades her dreams. She wakes up and it is just barely light outside and she reminds herself of the conversation she had about a year and a half ago with Tony when they weren't sure if they would make it to Jimmy Palmer's wedding or not; when they were hunting for Harper Dearing.

* * *

_May 18, 2012_

_They're grumpy. Both of them are sitting in the squad room, not really working. They are both looking at their computers and realizing that there's just no way they're going to Palmer's wedding, because the case just won't get solved._

_"Please," Tony says, trying to distract himself and convince himself that this is for the best. "Who really likes weddings anyway?"_

_"Hm!" Ziva states, without looking at Tony. "There's nothing good about them."_

_"Weird uncles make inappropriate toasts," Tony says._

_"Rubber chicken enhanced by cheap wine," Ziva adds._

_"Cheesy music and children…. Rental tuxedos."_

_"The bouquet, the garter, the cake, the…," Ziva hesitates._

_"The fittings," Tony fills in for her._

_"The fittings! The fittings!" Ziva exclaims, looking up and pointing at him. "And, I'm not even to the actual ceremony yet!"_

_Tony nods and Ziva can see him thinking about the ceremony. "The vows," he says thoughtfully._

_"Hm," she agrees quietly. "The ring," she ads sounding sad._

_Their eyes meet; they really meet and for that moment they can see where this conversation is going. They are really going to talk about the good things about a wedding that they're going to miss._

_"The kiss," Tony whispers, looking straight at Ziva._

_Ziva smiles and looks at him. "The katuba," she says._

_"I don't even know what I'd do if I had to deal with all that," Tony says honestly._

_Ziva looks down and then at him again and then down again, as though seriously considering this. "Elope?" she asks. Their eyes meet again and they share a small smile before the moment is interrupted by Gibbs._

* * *

October 13, 2013

Ziva wonders why this conversation is running through her head again. There was never any answer from Tony, except that his eyes spoke volumes, as she knew hers always did. What she saw there was fascination that she would think of that and interest in her and doing such a thing. Her cheeks are red from the thoughts of it as she lays in his arms now. The way they are acting, someone would think that they had already eloped or been married for sometime; hell, everyone who has seen them has noted the ease of their relationship, even if they haven't necessarily said it.

Ziva feels Tony stir under her and she knows that he realizes that she's awake. But, she can't get this conversation out of her mind. She knows it's not just on her mind, because she can see the thoughts in his face every time he looks at her. She is uneasy and yet anxious. She knows the conversation is a long time coming, though their actual relationship has been very short.

Tony's eyes open as Ziva watches him. He smiles at her and reaches up to touch the blush on her cheeks. Then his eyes grow curious.

"What's got you blushing?" he asks quietly.

"The conversation we had a little over a year ago when we missed Palmer's wedding," Ziva admits in a whisper, hoping that he catches the hint of it.

He smiles at her and kisses the red-color on her cheeks. His cheeks, she notices, also turn red at the thoughts of that conversation. It's never something they thought they would reconsider discussing in the future.

"What put this into your head?" he wonders aloud. "Is it the movie last night?"

"Somewhat," she admits. "Some of it is… well, we have admitted a lot to each other these past few weeks and… well, I just remembered it."

He nods his head and smiles at her. He's been thinking that also. He turns over and opens his top nightstand drawer. He pulls out a small box. Ziva's breath is caught up in her throat as she realizes the size and shape of the box. She can hardly breath and yet the moment feels both perfect and too soon at the same time.

Tony holds the box a moment without looking at Ziva. He is barely breathing also, as though he's wondering if it's too soon also. Then, he finally meets Ziva's eyes. He is nervous. She can see it in his face. He is very nervous.

He slowly opens the box to reveal a delicate ring. It is fairly simple. It has a silver band and a prominent, but not too large, diamond in a heart-shape sitting on top of it. Ziva can feel herself shaking against Tony and emotions rushing into her cheeks and her eyes prickling with tears that are waiting to be shed.

Tony holds the box in front of her. He looks straight into her eyes, waiting for her to meet his eyes again, with she does quickly, knowing her eyes are as wide as his when they finally meet. Her eyes are filled with moisture and she is smiling lightly at him, waiting to hear what he is going to say. Some explanation? Maybe. Some speech? Possibly. The big question? She thinks so.

"I got it after we were trapped in the elevator," he whispers to her; she can hear the nerves and fear in his voice. "I knew then… I didn't want to risk my life again without telling you how I feel. But, after we got closer, your father was killed and that wasn't a good time…. I gave you distance when I thought you needed it. I nearly gave it to you after Berlin, but I knew it wasn't the right time when you pulled away again after the car crash. But, Ziva… I... well, I want to know…."

"Yes," she whispers interrupting him and planting a kiss on his lips, effectively stopping him from continuing with what he was saying. She can feel him shaking just as much as she's shaking, because he was just as nervous as she was. Her kiss is filled with passion and tears of joy and when she pulls back she can see a fire in his green eyes that hasn't been there in a long time.

He takes the ring out of the box without taking his eyes off of her and he slips it slowly onto her left hand and kisses her hand as he slides the ring in place. She is smiling and crying and she knows that she's never felt this way before and she knows that she will never feel quite this way ever again. Tony is it for her, just like she is it for Tony.

"You didn't even let me finish the question," he accused lightly as he pulled her back in for another kiss.

"The answer is yes," she whispers. "Yes, I want to marry you. Yes, I want to be yours forever and ever."

She plants another kiss on his lips and feels the moisture from his eyes seeping onto his cheeks. The moment is priceless and they both know that no other proposal in the world would go as unconventionally as this one did and have such a desired result. But, then, they have always been very unconventional.

"You're going to marry me," he whispers happily and kisses her again and again, until they are interrupting by the sound of a cell phone ringing on the bedside table on Tony's side. They pull apart, unable to take the smiles off their faces as Tony reaches for the phone.


	26. Chapter 26: Gibbs Sees It

October 13, 2013

Tony picks up the phone without looking at the caller-ID that tells him who is calling. He doesn't even care who is calling, he is too lost in Ziva's eyes and her heart. "DiNozzo," he says into the phone.

"I had a question about the information you gave us," McGee's voice says through the phone. "I mean, it all appears to be correct, but how did you come by it. It might be important to know and then maybe we can figure a way to find this guy and catch him."

"Yea, McGee," he says quietly, not answering the question.

"Where did you get the information?" McGee repeats.

"Oh, um, talk to Gibbs," Tony says to him, trying hard to focus on the conversation that needed having. "Yea, just talk to Gibbs. He can tell you whatever he needs to tell you."

"Tony? Is everything alright? You sound, distracted?" McGee asks suspiciously and Ziva nearly laughs, since she can hear his tone through the phone since her and Tony are very close at the moment and it is skin on skin and that distracts them more than anything.

"Yea, fine, McGee," Tony mutters. "Got to go."

Ziva has begun tracing patters on his chest and kissing his neck, finding the distracted Tony very entertaining. He is certainly distracted from McGee and everything else in the world. He wants her and she knows it.

"Wait," McGee says. "How am I supposed to trust that Gibbs will give me the information?"

Tony nearly moans as Ziva's hands trace lower on his stomach. "McGee!" he grumbles. "Can't talk… not now," he ads as Ziva stops, realizing that she will give away that he's not alone if she continues with what she is doing. She is laughing silently and Tony's face of frustration at the other end of the phone and at Ziva stopping is something that nearly ruins her silence.

"Fine. But I'm calling if Gibbs can't give me answers," McGee says to him. "I'm tired of knowing nothing at all."

Ziva lets out a small giggle but suppresses it in Tony's chest, hoping to hide the sound from McGee who is probably curious on the other end of the phone, since this is so far from the normal Tony talking on the phone.

"Tony? You're not alone are you? I thought you were supposed to stay at your place. Doesn't that require you not going out to bring a girl back? And who would you bring back anyway? You've never brought anyone back there, and you found that especially repulsive after Ziva was there," McGee asks him.

"Nobody is here," Tony says quietly. "Got to go."

Tony hangs up the phone and picks Ziva's head up off his chest. She is now laughing full out and he can see that she is feeling rather playful. He flips her over and pins her to the bed, which stops her laughing immediately, since one of his hands is now just inches away from her chest. She takes a deep breath and the mood is changed.

* * *

It is nearly dinner time and Ziva has just finished with the lasagna when she finally hears the door open to the apartment and knows that Gibbs has finally arrived. She brings the food into Tony's dining room and sets it on the table and goes to the living room to greet Gibbs. She smiles at him and he kisses her cheek gently.

"I see there's no death yet," he says, wearing a proud expression. "That's good. I'm beginning to trust you two."

They exchange a glance, knowing that they have a huge bombshell to drop when this whole thing is over. They agreed not to openly bring it up before the case was solved, so their boss didn't get further distracted by them and their sudden changes than he already was. Ziva guides Gibbs into the dining room without a word, using her left hand on his back to steer him, hoping that he won't have to see it tonight.

They eat in silence. "That was great, Ziva," Gibbs says with a smile.

"Tasted just like my mother's," Tony ads with a grin. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're much welcome, both of you," she says with a shy smile.

"I'll clear the dishes," Tony offers, leaving Ziva alone with Gibbs for a moment.

Ziva folds her hands on her lap, under the table, still being cautious of the left hand, especially since it feels a little heavier with someone's prying eyes to look at the sparkling piece of jewelry that was added since last night's dinner that they shared together.

"So, I think we'll find him soon," Gibbs says to Ziva. "Or I hope we do. We've got FBI, CIA, and NCIS on this case. We're looking everywhere. When we bring him in do you want to interrogate?"

"No," Ziva says. "But, I do want to face the man who is trying to kill me, Gibbs. I want to look him in the eyes once."

"Okay," Gibbs said. "I would've thought you would want to be the one to put him away for threatening your family."

"You've got it under control. I don't need revenge. None of you are hurt or killed," Ziva says. "And, I trust you to do you're job, Gibbs."

"Thanks," Gibbs says, sounding a little surprised at the openness coming from his make-shift daughter. "Means a lot."

"You're welcome, Gibbs," she says quietly as Tony comes back into the room.

"Thanks for coming again, Gibbs," Tony says. "It's always good to see you. I'm getting kind of used to this social setting in my apartment."

"And it's always good to have a loving father around," Ziva ads, looking straight at Gibbs and taking Tony's hand and standing up to meet him. That's when Gibbs' eyes go wide and Ziva realizes what he's seen. He grabs her left hand and stares at the sparkly diamond for a moment and then stares at the two agents standing in front of him and sighs.

He shakes his head a moment and looks back down at the ring. This time a smile breaks his stern look and his eyes light up when he looks at the two sharing a worried look toward each other. Their eyes meet his and see he is smiling and he nods once toward them.

"You're late, DiNozzo," Gibbs says quietly. "Shoulda happened years ago."

"Sorry, boss," Tony says quietly. "I'm a little slow."

Ziva chuckles at his response, the worry and anxiety leaving her completely as she nearly gets another blessing from Gibbs. But when she looks at him, he is looking between the two very seriously again.

"Like I said, you two take care of each other, through thick and thin, for better or worse as the saying goes," Gibbs says to them. "I realize you're not like me and Jenny. You can work together and maintain this. I firmly believe it and if you prove me wrong, you're getting smacked, harder than normal. I'm happy for you and you have my blessing, as a father."

He is looking at Ziva and glancing at Tony, knowing that Ziva will have some emotional reaction to this. And he is right. There are tears visible in her eyes, but they are not falling. Her face is also red and the eyes are already starting to get a little puffy. She smiles at Gibbs and then to Tony and plants another kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, kids," Gibbs says quietly to them.

"Goodnight, Gibbs," they both say at the same time and watch him leave the dining room and hear him leave the apartment behind him, with a quiet click of the door handle as it latches in place.


	27. Chapter 27: McGee

October 20, 2013

It has been a wonderful week in solitude, but both Tony and Ziva are getting a little bored being stuck inside. They clean the apartment top to bottom. They get Gibbs to buy some paint and they repaint the apartment. They add some of Ziva's things and get truly settled in. They watch movies and they fall into a pattern of life. It is easy for them to live together, just as it was easy for them to work together. Gibbs is finally trusting them, but keeps coming over for dinner, because now Tony and Ziva are inviting him over to dinner and expecting him to come. It's like having a real family that cares about them. It's nice.

It is Sunday again. They are doing their own things. Tony is cleaning the bathroom (not his favorite chore in the world) and Ziva is making a grocery list in the kitchen and cleaning as she goes. They are working wonderfully to keep this place clean and happy. Tony's phone is ringing in the living room, but Ziva knows he has music playing while he cleans the bathroom and chances are she cannot hear it. She looks at it and sees that the caller-ID says that it's Gibbs calling.

She picks up his phone, hoping it is really Gibbs and he is not around the other agents and doesn't have his phone on speaker. It is a risky trick, but she is willing to take the risk for someone she sees as a father.

"Tony's phone," she says into the speaker of the phone and waits a moment

"Good morning," Gibbs says. "Parsa is in the interrogation room. McGee's on his way to get you two. He should be there in about fifteen minutes to pick you up. You want to face him, you got it, kid."

"Thank you. I will tell Tony," Ziva says, sounding a little more business-like than she has in a while.

It's over. She knows that it's over. She fully realizes this as she hangs up the phone. She abandons her grocery list on the coffee table in the living room and walks to the bathroom, still holding Tony's phone. She pushes the door open and smiles at him as he finishes up his task. He looks at her curiously.

"It's over. McGee will be here in less than fifteen minutes," she says quietly.

"He's coming here?" Tony asks curiously.

"Parsa is in interrogation and we're going to go watch," Ziva says. "I need to face him. I don't have questions. I just need to look him in the eyes once to see who was trying to destroy my life and family."

Tony walks to Ziva and takes the phone and her hand at the same time. He plants a kiss on her forehead and leaves the bathroom. "Better get dressed," he whispers to her, glancing down at her tank top and jeans that she's wearing right now.

They get ready in silence. Tony is done first, like always. Ziva is in the bathroom fixing her hair and brushing her teeth when she hears the door of the apartment open. She is running a little behind, but she's had the luxury the last few weeks of getting ready at her own pace and not a hurried one. She can hear the boys talking.

"You've changed the place a little, Tony," McGee comments. "It's like it's got a woman's touch now. I thought you said you weren't going out and weren't picking up women?"

"I'm not," Tony says and he's obviously smirking at McGee, Ziva can hear the smirk in his tone. "Haven't left here since I was in Italy."

"Then you brought a woman back from Italy," McGee assumes. "Is the witness here? Who is this witness anyway… wait a minute!"

"What?" Tony asks, sounding a little frustrated.

"Your badge is at your waste, but there's another one here," McGee says. "Are these Ziva's? Did you keep them? Do Gibbs and Vance know? You can get into really big trouble for this. You know, you should let go if she chose to stay away. It's not healthy to hold on like this."

"He's not holding onto anything he doesn't have permission to hold onto, and I certainly hope he doesn't let go as easily as you want him to," Ziva says as she comes out of the bathroom, putting up her hair up so as not to distract Tony while they are at the NCIS building.

McGee stops dead in his tracks, staring at Ziva. His mouth is hanging slightly open and Ziva just smiles at him and walks to Tony's side. "I am ready now," she says to him and looks at him.

He takes her hand and squeezes it tightly, seeing some of her nerves. McGee is still staring, stunned into silence as the two in front of him share a gentle smile. "Are you sure you want to do this, Ziva?" Tony asks.

She nods. "Yes, I'll have you by my side," she says squeezing his hand and placing a hand on his cheek, forgetting about McGee standing there for the moment and getting lost in Tony's eyes again. He takes her left hand, which is on his cheek and kisses it gently.

"Good," he whispers to her and wraps his arm around her waist, letting go of her left hand and facing McGee again. "You coming?"

"Ziva's been here? How long?" McGee asks. "I thought she was in danger? I thought she was hiding from Parsa? I thought…."

"All true," Tony says quietly. "Just she was hiding here, where nobody could know she was except the boss and the boss's boss. You might want to put that badge on, Ziva."

She chuckles and let's go of Tony, picking up the badge and clipping it to her belt loop and placing the gun at her side and shoving the credentials unceremoniously into her pocket before returning to Tony's side and taking his hand gently before opening the door. "Come on, let's do this."

"Abby is going to flip that you were here," McGee mutters. "How long have you been here?"

"A couple of weeks," she says quietly. "That's why you weren't allowed over. We weren't allowed out for our safety. It's over now, though."

"Right," McGee mutters. "Now it makes sense… also makes sense why Tony wasn't allowed out." McGee grabs Ziva's left hand and shows her the shiny object on her finger, letting her know that he's seen it and letting her know he knows exactly what it means. "How long has _that_ been there?" he wonders.

"A week," Tony answers with a broad smile on his face.

"Tony?" McGee asks. "You… wow! I don't know what to say! You and Ziva! That's something that's going to take adjusting… I mean I know you have history, but… wow!"

Tony and Ziva share a smile and a small laugh as they climb out of the elevator and make their way to the front of the building to find McGee's car parked right out front. They both take the back and McGee is still too stunned to say much of anything at the moment. He just drives, glancing in the rearview at the two who are lost in each other's eyes and obviously lost in each other's hearts also. He shakes his head and continues on in silence.


	28. Chapter 28: Facing Parsa

October 20, 2013

McGee parks the car with a silent sigh. He hoped, when he got in the car to have his thoughts together by now. Ziva can read this in his face and knows that he still has no idea what to say in response to this _very_ sudden outward change in his friends. Ziva glances at Tony and sees that he knows the same thing from looking at McGee.

They all climbed out of the car silently. Tony goes around and takes Ziva's hand and leads the way to the elevator. They all get inside and McGee is the last. He pushes the button for the squad room and glances at his coworkers. Ziva is leaning her head on Tony's chest and Tony's arm is around her in a protective and comforting way. McGee smiles, because he knows that this is the real Tony and Ziva who aren't hiding behind their badges anymore. At least this threat turned out with something good to come out of it.

McGee leans over and hits the emergency stop button. He faces the two, who are now smiling over at him, as though they expected this interruption in their trip upstairs.

"This is good for you both," McGee says to them, still not entirely sure what to say. "I don't remember a time either of you has looked this happy, content... hmm... fulfilled... in love. That's it. I can see it. This is good for both of you. I'm happy and it's about time."

"Thank you, Tim," Tony says to him, smiling and squeezing Ziva again. He presses a kiss to her forehead. "We're happy."

"I can see," McGee says with a smile before turning on the elevator again.

They continue going up, smiling. When they hear the ding they climb out and go into the squad room. Ziva notes the silent awed stares as her, Tony, and McGee pass. She knows they are staring at her. She knows they are staring at the way she is clinging to Tony. She knows that she was always seen as the overly serious and cold-hearted former Mossad assassin, so she knows this is an unusual sight.

They walk straight to the interrogation rooms, where Gibbs and Vance are standing outside waiting for them. Gibbs and Vance smile at the three agent; Gibbs nods to Tony and Ziva.

"Good to see you here again, Ziva," Gibbs says, leaning over and placing a soft kiss on her cheek and placing his hand on Tony's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"And I guess they were right. You're really okay with this, Gibbs," Vance says in soft realization.

"Can I get Abby?" McGee asks, unsure of how to react to his boss's strange reaction to his agents being together.

"Not yet, McGee," Gibbs says with a smile. "I'll send Ziva down when we're done here. You go start the paperwork. Ziva, before you go in there, you need to know that this man believes you're dead. Day after you left there, the farmhouse was shot up with automatic weapons. It was reckless and careless work of mindless killers, that didn't think to check for a body. So this should be a good surprise for him as well. Sorry, I'm using you as his breaking point."

"That is alright, Gibbs," Ziva says. "Come on, Tony."

The two walk into the interrogation room together, no longer clinging to each other. Gibbs goes in with them, but Vance, who is curious about how they'll behave in a professional setting, goes into observation to watch them.

Ziva is tempted to take Tony's hand and cling to him, which is unusual in the face of an interrogation. Normally she would be quite comfortable with separation from him, but now she is longing to feel the safety his arms provide for her. Ziva takes a breath and shakes the thoughts away; she knows that he's there; she knows that he'll keep her safe no matter what.

Ziva focuses on Parsa, the Middle Eastern man sitting at the table, looking blankly toward the window that separates the interrogation room and the observation room. She can see the nerves that he's trying to hide from his face. He doesn't seem to notice the presence of three NCIS Agents staring at him.

Ziva's instincts from years of working here take over, which is what Gibbs is waiting for. She walks to the table, looking like a lioness hunting her pray, and slams her hands on it, making Parsa jump at the sudden noise and sudden hostility in the atmosphere of the room. His eyes meet hers and widen in fear as he shrinks back in his chair. He is shuddering visibly in the face of an angry Ziva. Gibbs and Tony are suppressing smirks as she silently threatens the terrorist.

"You... you were dead," he mutters and stutters, faltering and quaking.

"No, I was not in that farmhouse that your men shot at," Ziva says in a low and dangerous tone. "Attempted murder of a United States Federal Agent is looked down upon."

"I want my lawyer," he says fearfully.

"YOU are a _terrorist_," Ziva says, her voice dripping with unspoken threats. "Terrorists do _not_ get lawyers. You will tell us _everything_! Then, you are going to Gitmo with no trial by jury and no chance to speak for your actions publicly. This is your chance!"

"Better do as the woman says," Gibbs warns the man, taking a step forward. "Perhaps you don't know her story as well as you think you do."

"I'll talk to you, Agent Gibbs," he says, "but I do not wish to be treated this way by a woman."

"Alright," Gibbs agrees. "DiNozzo, David, send Vance in. DiNozzo, I want you to get Duck into the observation room and stay there with him and McGee. David go have Miss Sciuto fill you in on everything."

They nodded and walked out, seeing Vance come out of observation and nodding to them. "You two will be just fine in and out of the field. Good job in there David," he comments.

Tony plants an unexpected kiss on Ziva as they get into the elevator and she smiles, but wonders what it was for. "You are scary when you want to be. I hope I don't ever earn the receiving end of that look," Tony says.

"You never could, Tony," Ziva replies and plants her own kiss, getting a little lost in the moment as the elevator dings and they hear someone's throat clearing. They look up and see McGee, who is looking a little embarrassed about what he's witnessed.

"Good," Tony says. "You and me are getting Ducky and going to observation. The girls need some time."

"Whatever the boss wants," McGee says, not meeting Tony's eyes fully. "I just wish I could be a fly on the wall for this one. Abby's gonna be entertaining with the mixed emotions on this one. Joy for having Ziva back, anger for her leaving, upset for her not trusting us openly, and then there's the other thing as well, that Abby doesn't know yet. Good luck, Ziva."

"I can handle her just fine, Tim, thank you. I have a plan," Ziva says to him. With that she leaves the elevator and doesn't look back as she confidently goes towards the lab.


	29. Chapter 29: Abby's Reaction

A/N - so this story is drawingto a close for now. I have one more chapter I want to add tomorrow, but then it's done. I may pick it up from time to time and add a bit of fluff as I see fit, but the story line I started here is officially done. I hope you like this chapter and the one to come. Please let me know what you think! Again, thank you to everyone who has followed and favorited this story, and thank you to all my reviewers: logracer, eitann, M E Wofford, nando2k50, RubyDragonJewel, rockclimberFVE, jesly, guest, guest (amaia), kfink77, Kerry Marie, bdn2372, clestaffordt, and Emzi001. You're all great! Thank you!

* * *

October 20, 2013

Ziva hears the elevator close behind her and suddenly she feels a little empty. This is the first time she's been away from Tony since about two hours after arriving in Italy. Now, however, she has to face Abby alone, without him having her back. In some respects it will be easier without Tony, but in other respects, it will be much more difficult.

Ziva walks straight into the lab and the door closes behind her. Abby sighs. "I thought I told you to go finish your paperwork, McGee," Abby says, sounding frustrated and dancing quietly while doing something on her computer.

"He went upstairs with Tony," Ziva says in response, almost afraid of what she is going to see and hear when Abby turns around after hearing her voice for the first time in several months.

Abby turns slowly around, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide with shock, as though she doesn't believe what she just heard. Her mouth flaps open and closed a couple of times, like a fish unable to breath the air. She obviously doesn't know what to say. Nobody has ever left Abby speechless before. Ziva can see many things flash across her face with no words to accompany the expressions.

First, Abby's face is excited and her eyes are wide. Then, her eyebrows narrow and curiosity crosses onto her face. Then, she looks angry and turns red. But, then her eyes fill with tears. Finally, Abby hugs Ziva, without a word to her. She squeezes her tightly and then looks at her seriously.

"You left, again," she says sternly. "You left us here, without you. You went on vacation or something and then off-grid. You left us. Do you have any idea what it does to Tony when you are not around? I mean, he was a mess! An absolute and total mess! I don't know how he was when he got back from his assignment in Italy, but he was a wreck when he was here without you and he was a wreck when he was looking for you. You can't do this anymore. You just don't even know what it does to him, to all of us, but especially to him!"

"Abby," Ziva says quietly, putting her hands on Abby's shoulders and looking at her carefully.

"No, Ziva," Abby says. "I am very happy to see you. But, this is not okay! This is not okay, because you hurt us all, especially Tony… and I won't let you do that! Not anymore! He is too good to you for you to run around hurting him all the time! You need to make up your mind. You are either here to stay or you're not, that's that! And it's high time that you figure out how the hell you feel about the man, because he's obviously head over heels for you and it shows every time…."

"Abby," Ziva says again, a little louder this time.

"No," Abby says, holding up a hand and shushing Ziva. "You'll hear me out. It really shows how Tony feels every single time that he travels halfway around the world for you. Israel, Somalia, Berlin, Israel again. You need to realize… I mean he was there for you after your father died and he was there to make sure you were okay, he wanted to go to Israel with you and what he told you, I know what he told you, but you didn't hear him, you didn't even listen to him and you screwed that up and tore his heart in half when you slept with Adam…."

"Abby," Ziva says again a little sharper this time.

"And then you two decide together that resigning is the thing to do and somehow you two are okay. Then you go to Israel without him and he's going to go with you and then you're off-grid and running away and hiding again and he goes after you! I mean, come on! This is so beyond cool! You need to get it through your stubbornness and figure out what you are feeling! But, I'm so glad to have you back! Are you staying? Or are you just visiting."

Ziva puts a hand on Abby's mouth, stopping her from talking. Abby looks taken aback again and stops talking. Ziva moves her shirt a little and shows Abby the badge that is at her waist and then she lets the shirt go. Ziva isn't really sure what to say to Abby, because all of what she said was the truth, but Tony and Ziva have already worked through it in the time they've spent together.

"Does Tony know you're back?" Abby asked.

Ziva smiles and thinks about the last few weeks locked up in his apartment and her eyes close as she revels in her memories of that time. She is still smiling when she opens her eyes. Her smile widens.

"Oh yea," she says quietly. "He definitely knows I'm back."

"And what do you mean by that?" Abby asked sharply.

Ziva lifts up her left hand and shows Abby. She can't contain the smile on her face and she wonders what Abby will say to her lack of words. Ziva is obviously happy and it shows. Abby studies the ring and even goes as far as grabbing her left hand and staring at it.

"How could you? How could you do this without us knowing? Does he know about this? What did he say?" Abby asked, automatically assuming that it was someone else that put that there.

Ziva chuckled quietly. "I think you misunderstood," Ziva says.

"What do you mean?" Abby asks with her eyes narrowing. "Oh! Wait! What? Tony? No! How?"

Ziva laughs again. "He asked a week ago," Ziva tells Abby. "Of course, you do know that there's nobody else in the world that I could possibly say yes to, Abby. It was always Tony. Think about it. You already gave all the reasons, but there is more."

"The times you two were hiding a relationship from Gibbs, Mossad, and NCIS?" Abby asks. "Yea, I knew about it, sort of… or rather I suspected it. But, if he asked a week ago, then you've been back longer than today…."

"Yes. We met up in Italy. I was the person he was picking up. I stayed at his place for safety and off-grid. But now Parsa is caught and he is being processed and questioned," Ziva explains. "So I am back. Tony and I already worked out everything. I'm not going anywhere ever again, Abby."

"How do we know that?" Abby said quietly.

Ziva lifted up her left hand again and wiggled her fingers. "Do you really think I would have said yes if I couldn't trust him to not only be there for me, but to respect what I want and need, and have my back at all times? I came back while it was still far more dangerous for me and people around me than it was for the rest of you. I came back at the height of danger, because I couldn't do it alone, though I tried. I couldn't do it and I didn't want to do it. I came home to Tony and he kept me safe, with you, McGee, Ducky, Palmer, and Gibbs helping. Thank you."

Abby smiled a little now. There were tears in her eyes again. She hugged Ziva again. "I guess all bad has a good side to it," she said quietly. "I just failed to see that the good side was you and Tony finally, finally, finally admitting what you feel for each other? You did right? Tell him how you feel?"

"Of course, Abby. I love Tony more than anything in this world," Ziva says, to prove her point. "I won't let him go. I don't think I can."

Abby smiled widely now. "Yay!" she said and jumped a little. "Come on, let's go see if they're done yet!"


	30. Chapter 30: Back to Normal Almost

A/N - So as you all know, this is the final chapter of this story as far as the story line is concerned. There may be some fluff to come, but my attention is going to turn to finishing up a few other stories that I have opened still. This is a little shorter, but not much. I hope you all like it. And thanks again to everyone who has read this!

* * *

October 20, 2013

As soon as the elevator opens to the squad room, Tony's arms around Ziva's waist, and she responds by wrapping her arms around his waist. Abby blushes and moves carefully around the two to join the rest of the team watching them. Tony's nose touches Ziva's.

"It's over," he whispers in an affectionate tone, "you're safe. We got him. It's over."

Ziva smiles and moves her hands up his back and into his hair, pulling herself to him and closing her eyes tightly as she presses her lips to his. They're free finally. They are free of Parsa. They'refree of Mossad. And they're free of rule twelve. They can be who they've always desired to be to each other and they can be those people whenever and wherever without having to find an explanation for their closeness.

They are kissing and clinging in a way that's inappropriate for any public place and yet nobody is willing to interrupt this tender moment between the two, especially since every set of eyes in the room knows that this moment was a long time coming. They eventually realize that the entire squad room is silent and they pull just a little apart. Their noses are still together; Tony's hands or on Ziva's face and Ziva is shaking with overwhelming happiness. Their eyes are locked and they are smiling at each other with scattered kisses, no longer able to contain the happiness and affection they feel for each other.

Gibbs is quietly smiling, but decides enough is enough and he clears his throat. The two agents glance sideways at him and the rest of the team, who are all a little stunned at the affection that is being shown in public. Ziva and Tony blush, but Ziva laughs quietly. Gibbs smiles at the laughter, seeing the real change in her.

"DiNozzo, take your fiancée home," Gibbs says to his Senior Field Agent. "Not coming for dinner tonight. You two should use your freedom. See you at 0700 sharp tomorrow morning."

Tony nods and chuckles, turning Ziva and heading for the elevator. They climb inside and instantly Tony's lips are on Ziva's again and quite suddenly she felt as though Tony had been holding out on her in the squad room a little. Now his lips hungrily devoured hers, pushing her back into the elevator and tangling his hands through her hair. Just before the elevator stops, Tony pulls back a little.

"We're free," he whispers, voicing the realization that was causing them to lose a little of their control, not that they had much anyway. "Let's go to dinner tonight," he adds as a suggestion.

"That sounds perfect," Ziva says, feeling uncertain of being treated like she's special. Tony sees her uncertainty and kisses her again, reassuring her without words. She smiles and takes his hand, leading him away from the elevator and to the car, impatient for this afternoon and evening to begin.

* * *

October 21, 2013

Ziva and Tony are rushing, they are already running late, neither used to getting ready for work with another person nearby. Finally, they are ready and they reach for the badges on the coffee table, bumping into one another and laughing as they clip the badges to their waist and hurry to the car.

They make it to work just on time and hurry toward the elevator, hurrying inside and failing to notice Gibbs waiting for them inside. He stops the elevator as soon as it starts and both turn, realizing who is there.

"Good morning," he says to them with a smile. "Welcome back." He glances between them a moment and then smirks again. "DiNozzo?" he asks Ziva eyeing her ID badge. "David?" he asks turning toward Tony's badge.

They quickly switch badges and face their boss again. He smirks and slaps the backs of their heads lightly. "For worrying us," he says, still smirking, "and showing up to work not fully ready. Basic ground rules. You're partners. I'm looking for a permanent partner for McGee too. Keep the physical contact to a minimum where people can see it. Be professional and have each others backs. If you fight at home it stays there. If you fight at work it stays here. That's all. Let's get to work, kids."

They all head into the squad room and take seats at their desks. Ziva looks around. There are many working behind her. McGee is reading through his emails and Gibbs is sipping his coffee. Tony is looking at her with those flirty eyes. Everything is back to normal. Well, almost normal. Ziva glances down at the heart-shaped diamond ring glittering on her left ring-finger. She smiles widely. Almost normal is so much better than normal, she thinks and meets Tony's eyes again, who is thinking much the same.


End file.
